


Lewis and Nico in America

by Born In Captivity- Ineligible to Release (Jashasedai)



Series: Alternate Universe - Tame Racing Drivers [6]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe: Tame Racing Drivers, Doubles of Every Character, F/M, Genderswap, Not Really a Genderswap, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 08:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 22,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8705173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jashasedai/pseuds/Born%20In%20Captivity-%20Ineligible%20to%20Release
Summary: In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.Last chapter added!!





	1. Red Carpet

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Tame Racing Drivers AU. Read the series summary.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton,AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:
> 
> Real People don't belong to me.
> 
> This story is fiction and is no reflection on anyone in it. The story does belong to me, as does the AU in which it is set.
> 
> Characters will be tagged in the chapters in which they appear.

**Red Carpet**   
**2016- Post Season- IWC event**

  
  
The game was always played in the most public places possible. Points awarded by number of pictures appearing in major publications. The clock started when they onto the red carpet. Nico offered his brightest smile to the cameras, one hand in the pocket of his tuxedo trousers and the other waving to the crowd. Lewis turned to smirk at the photographer in an appealing way. The flashes went off. Nico spoke through his perfect smile. Quietly so only Lewis could hear.

  
"I got a virus where everytime I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL my computer signs me up on a grocery website for a lifetime supply of honey mustard."

  
The two turned seamlessly to another photographer and smiled and waved. Nico was close enough to Lewis to see his eyes widen behind his sunglasses. Lewis spoke without breaking his smile as well.

  
"How much honey mustard is that?"

  
Nico spotted one of his favorite reporters and raised his eyebrows. Some people made interviews way more interesting than others. He was a ways down the row of reporters, but it would be worth it to give him a sound bite. Or at least a great shot of him and Lewis interacting.

  
"More honey mustard than you’d think. They have a human life span calculated out in cases. Don’t ask me why."

  
Lewis spotted the reporter as well and his smile got a little broader.

  
"Does a dangerous career change how many cases you got?"

  
"No, but that’s not the point. So some guy who works at BigStoreBuy.com is an officer in my fan club. So when my name came through so many times with these honey mustard orders…"

  
Lewis glanced at Nico. "How many times?"

  
"I didn’t know it was signing me up until I got the receipt emails. I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL like 20 times before I gave up because it wasn’t bringing anything up."

  
It was obvious that Lewis was struggling to keep a straight face. He licked his lips.

  
"So this guy in the fan club sees all these orders, and he assumes I am just in love with honey mustard. He posted a big thing in the newsletter. "Last week at one of my interviews someone described me as honey-mustard blond."

  
Their favorite reporter was only a few feet away now. The stakes were high. Nico could see Lewis was biting his inner cheek.

  
"You’re making this up, man."

  
One of the cameramen shouted, "Show us your team spirit, guys." They stepped closer together and put their hands on each other’s backs. From farther down the line of reporters, a man broke the ranks and stepped onto the red carpet.

  
"Then somebody made all these T-shirts. You won’t believe what they look like."

  
Lewis’ chin flexed with the effort of fighting back a laugh.

  
"Well, then it got worse. You know how they call Daniel Ricciardo the honey badger?"

  
Nico watched the gap between Lewis’ face and his sunglasses, and was rewarded when his eyes bulged. He turned to Nico with a rictus grin.

  
"They didn’t."

  
Nico nodded solemnly.

  
"The Tshirts, are yellow with my face on them, and under my face it says Honey Blonde Honey Mustard Honey Badger."

  
Lewis howled with laughter. Nico put on a surprised face. Their reporter waved to his photographer, who started snapping picture after picture. This was going to be worth at least 30 points.

  
Just then the man in the tuxedo, who’d stepped onto the red carpet, grabbed Nico’s arm. "Mr Rosberg, Mr Hamilton, I need you to come with me immediately. This is an emergency." Nico tried to pull away, but the man’s grip was very strong. "It’s regarding your Course Advisors." Nico’s arm went limp in the man’s grasp. Course Advisor was Mercedes’ code for Racing Drivers.

  
Lewis pushed on Nico’s arm, sweeping him after the man. The reporters all stirred and the whole red carpet watched their removal from the scene. He ushered them into a black Cadillac Escalade. Nico noticed in an absent way as they stepped into it that it was an unusual shape, as though it was reinforced.

  
He sat loosely in the back seat. Lewis sat stiffly beside him. Was his back even touching the seat?

  
"What’s the emergency?" Lewis asked, a careful second after they’d pulled away.

  
"We are removing all Racing Drivers from FIA’s control. Your Drivers have been removed from the Mercedes stable and they are being moved to a secure location. You’ll be joining them there."

  
Lewis sat back, Nico sat forward.

  
"On whose authority?"

  
"Slavery is illegal under the United Nations, Mr Rosberg."

  
"The United Nations is taking the Drivers from FIA?"

  
The man didn’t say anything.

  
"So…no. You’re not the United Nations."

  
Lewis scrunched up his nose. "Is this to do with Jeremy Clarkson?"

  
Nico looked at him. His Top Gear appearance had been after the 3 longtime hosts’ departure from the show. It was a different experience than the one he’d had explained to him by guys who’d gone during the epic 22 series ‘classic’ run.

  
There had been significantly less "Racing Drivers are people, too" propaganda.

  
"There is a broadcast tonight that may make FIA feel it has to retaliate for damage done to its reputation. To prevent any regrettable decisions on their part, anyone who might be subject to reprisals is being taken into protective custody."

  
"On whose authority?" Nico asked again.

  
"It is the moral imperative of all citizens to stand up for the rights of the downtrodden. When this decision comes to the attention of the United Nations, our actions will be seen as a necessary step. Since you will also be in protective custody, you will be free of legal recourse, should the UN decide to pursue damages against FIA’s designated handlers."

  
Nico frowned. His contract specified that his legal right to take Prince anywhere was entirely contingent on FIA’s assigning them to be there. He was the one who had signed it, so if this plan didn’t work, he was the one who was legally responsible for Prince being AWOL. The paperwork was pretty ironclad that if something went wrong, he was at fault, and if FIA did something wrong, he was still at fault. That was how they kept the matches trapped. The breach of contract penalties were apocalyptic.

  
Whatever the legal implications were, they were being taken to whatever secure location they'd deigned to store Mercedes F1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lewis and Nico get along just fine, sometimes. Why not at others?


	2. Teammates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Teammates**

**2006- In Season**

　

The garage was bustling with the usual briskness of a team who'd recently arrived for the race weekend at a fresh track. Prince was sitting in the car going over some pre-race adjustments with the engineers, most of whom could gesture enough to get by without The human half standing there translating.

  
The human half was, in fact, standing by the wall talking to one of the media reps. She had what was jokingly referred to as Double O status, clearance to know about Racing Drivers. She also had a background in dance, and was interested in teaching Nico and Prince.

  
Nico finished making arrangements with her. He turned when a shadow fell across him. It was noisy enough in the garage that you could never rely on your ears to tell you when someone had walked up behind you. Mark was looming over him. His Racing Driver was standing at his back.

  
Nico always felt bad for Mark, he was so much taller than, not just most Racing Drivers, but the average man, that he had to be MUCH more careful taking his around with him. Even disguised, a second man towering over the crowd drew attention.

  
He opened his mouth to greet his teammate.

  
"Dance lesson, huh? Thinking about switching careers? I hear that blonde pop star who sings Livin' La Vida Loca, is looking for some backup dancers. Um." Mark looked annoyed when he couldn't remember the man's name.

  
Nico laughed. "Hi, Mark, how was it, this morning? Prince is going to be done in a minute, and we're headed to lunch."

  
"The car is running about the same." Mark shrugged.

  
The Racing Driver gestured, "She is unhappy, today." He produced an identical shrug.

  
Nico nodded, their car wasn't liking the weather too much either.

  
An unconscious smile warmed his face. Prince was done in the car and was on his way. Even 10 feet apart, it was hard being away from his partner all morning. Harder than other times, like when Prince was out of range entirely. It was like being able to have a light snack when you were very hungry and sitting at a table laden with a 10 course dinner.

  
Racing Drivers and their matches tended to come together like magnets. It was like not being able to get comfortable, and shifting position over and over and over until you were in an entirely different spot. Crew were well versed in Match Migration. When, by taking a step here and a step there, a match ended up, with no conscious effort, side by side with their Racing Driver. It seemed to affect the matches more, probably because they tended to have the jobs with greater mobility, where the Drivers were in one of several places. The crews on all the teams knew how to spot the signs and keep the two focused on their tasks without disrupting things and pointing it out.

  
Still, having the 10 foot gap closed was a pleasure that made Nico's skin shiver in delight. He turned to watch with a broad grin as Prince climbed out of the car. His grin turned to horror when Prince tripped out of the car and fell hard onto the floor. He was trying to break the fall with his hands, but only managed to slow the fall fractionally: after his face had already hit the floor.

  
The angry rev, and the gesture that made Nico's ears turn red, and made Mark's Racing Driver gasp, told Nico that Prince was NOT alright.

  
He was pushing himself up from the floor when Nico got there. The crew knew enough not to try and help him up, but his arms wobbled when he pushed himself to a seated position. Nico swooped down and put an arm around him, lifting him up, and another pair of arms joined him. He looked, assuming it was the other Racing Driver, but it was Mark.

  
Prince growled at his touch, but didn't try to push him away, which told Nico even more clearly that something was wrong. They helped him into the back room of the garage.

  
He settled Prince on a folding chair. Prince was scrunching his nose up, and his mouth was tight. There was a terrific bruise spreading up his face. His right arm was held tightly to his body, and his shoulder was raised in a fixed half-shrug.

  
"Geeze, mate, a crash like that could've been bad, at least he's bruising outside and not inside." Mark said.

  
"Can you tell me where it hurts?" Nico gestured? He could FEEL where it hurt, but if he just knew without asking, there would be questions.

  
Prince gestured, one handed, "Face, right shoulder, neck, right knee." He closed his eyes for a moment.

  
"Your neck hurts?" Nico asked, he started unzipping Prince's jumpsuit, pulling it gently down the injured arm. Prince's grimace deepened when he had to straighten it out.

  
"Maybe we shouldn't have moved him." Mark said. "Neck injuries can be bad."

  
Mark's gloomy what-ifs were not helping Nico's focus. He gently touched along Prince's neck, feeling for sore spots and anything that was out of place. It seemed alright, but he would have the medic come in before Prince moved again. He repeated the procedure over Prince's shoulder. It had been jarred pretty thoroughly, taking the secondary impact after his face.

  
The bruise really was something to behold, already filling out dark red under his skin. It ran from his forehead to his cheekbone on the right-hand side, his eye was swelling up.

  
"I'm sorry, Prince." Nico said. He pressed gently on Prince's face, checking his cheekbone and nose and the orbital ridge above his eye for damage.

  
Prince made a sick sound.

  
Finally, he ran a hand over Prince's knee, but he was already sure that was fine, he'd just banged it on the side of the car on the way down.

  
Nico stepped back. He wanted to comfort his Driver. Touching right now would be too much sensation, and would make it too hard for Prince to redirect the pain.

  
He looked at Mark. Mark was looking at Prince with narrowed eyes.

  
Prince was sitting there, legs splayed out in front of him, his jumpsuit low around his hips, right arm cradled to his body and held by the left. He had his eyes closed and his face scrunched, though there was more of concentration and less of pain than there had been.

  
He threw his head back and grimaced.

  
Mark's eyes narrowed a little more, he had a little frown on, now.

  
His eyes darted to the side, losing focus on what was around them. His lips and fingers moved minutely.

  
Beside him, the Racing Driver shifted a step closer to the chair and lifted his chin like he was trying to see better.

  
Mark's head swiveled slowly to Nico. His eyes locked onto his and focused.

  
"How did you get this far without someone noticing?" His voice was low, with an edge.

  
"Noticing what?" Nico asked calmly, though inside himself he was begging, 'Please don't say "She's a mare." We've worked so hard to hide it.'

  
Mark didn't answer, just looked Nico very intensely up and down.

　

　

Nico spent a moment hating him.

  
"Not you, then. Just...Prince?" Mark's emphasis on her name made it clear he realized Prince was female.

　

  
Nico felt sick. Of course someone would notice someday. Of course his first damn teammate in F1 had to be a snoopy, observant bastard. Why couldn't he have just let Nico carry her alone?  
He felt himself sneer, just a little, before smiling coldly.

  
"Why wouldn't we get this far? We're a damn good team. We have as much chance to win as anyone else, more than most."

  
Mark's mouth twitched up. "I am just surprised that no one has noticed before, you don't exactly go to great pains to hide it, do you?" He reached out and flicked Nico's blonde curls.

  
"You have a problem with my haircut, Webber?" Nico squared his shoulders.

  
"Oh, no, I don't. It's very pretty."

  
Nico smiled. "Thanks, Mark, I wasn't sure it was obvious enough." He tossed his head and flipped his hair the way the photographers just loved. "I like to play to my strengths." He stepped into Mark's space. "Does it make you uncomfortable, Mark? Having such a pretty teammate?" He bit his lip and looked up at the older man demurely. "Do I make you feel," He drew out the word, and arched his back, just a little, "confused?" He let his tongue touch his lower lip, just for the briefest second.

  
Mark's eyes flicked to where Prince was still sitting, eyes closed, venting pain. His eyes came back to Nico, who was still staring up at him.

  
Nico looked down, suddenly, taking a little hitching breath, visibly overwhelmed by the dark eyes on him. "Mark." He looked back up at him, face pleading. "Don't tell anyone?" He knew he looked afraid, knew the mask he was drawing over it wasn't covering it. "Please?" He whispered. "Please, I don't know what they would do."

  
Mark raised a hand a little, but stopped before touching him, like he might for a Racing Driver. "Nah, mate, I wouldn't tell." He turned and nudged Nico with an elbow, instead, smiling. "Nah, mate, that's what teammates are for, right? Someone to have your back. I'll go get _him_ an ice pack." He nodded at Rabbit and they headed for the door. He stopped, partway there, brightening up. "I remembered which pop star is looking for dancers, in case this whole thing doesn't work out. Brittany Spears!" He laughed.

  
The door closed behind him and Nico let the hips rolled, back arched, pouty lipped body language drop. A Mark making jokes was a Mark not being a threat. Nico could live with that.

  
"What's a Brittany Spears?" Prince asked, opening her eyes.

  
"Someone we happen to look like." Nico muttered.

  
"I like Rabbit."

  
Nico assumed Rabbit was Mark's Driver's name. "Yeah?" He strode away from the door to Prince's side, still not touching, but wanting the comfort to share between them.

  
"He growled when Mark was going to touch you. You probably couldn't hear him. Mark did, though."

  
The gesture touch was not the usual casual contact gesture, nor the more intimate form used for matches and Racing Drivers when they connected. It was something more intense, but Nico couldn't tell if it meant Mark had been about to caress him or hit him. Prince didn't expand on the comment, and Nico didn't ask. The show had gotten Mark out of here and secured his assurance that he wouldn't use his realization to hurt them. Interesting, though, that whichever way it had been going to go, his Driver had warned him off.

  
And Prince liked the Driver. That was good. Maybe that meant the man was worth something. They were going to have a new teammate, next year, and having friends elsewhere on the grid would be an advantage. Nico could put up with a couple pretty boy nicknames for that.

 

He actually laughed the first time Mark walked up to them in the garage and said loudly, "G'day, Princess!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does gender matter in a case like this?


	3. Clerical Error

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Clerical Error**   
**2002- McLaren Main Training Facility**

　

  
Like any major corporation, the stables experienced clerical errors. Sometimes it happened, sometimes a Driver was brought from the wrong stall, or a potential match was left to wait in front of the wrong door. Usually the handlers would notice that the green they'd been sent for wasn't in the stall and a yellow was, or someone passing by noticed the 2:30 match at the 1:30 door. Most of the clerical errors were averted. In some, rare cases, the handlers recognised that the match who'd been brought in didn't match the Driver who was waiting, and disaster was averted at the 11th hour.

  
Because that was the 11th hour. Once the helmet came off, it was too late to stop the big nosed French type Driver from bonding with the fairy featured Brazillian. To try to stop the match partway through would mean terrible death for the match. And usually, there was another half of each pair waiting. In these, rare cases, a cross match could be rectified by cross matching the other pair and keeping them always together.

  
But sometimes, due to a worse sort of error, a match removed the helmet and bonded with a Driver who had never been meant to bond. One whose lap times were low, or who was temperamentally unsuitable to race.

  
Nico Rosberg walked into the room where the grey helmeted Racing Driver waited. As had been explained, when he started removing his helmet, he began to thrash and struggle. Nico steeled himself and cleared the helmet, focusing on hazel eyes. His eyes began to ache, but it seemed no time at all before his Racing Driver gave a little nod and deliberately looked away. The eyes were back on him in a moment, though. He helped his partner up. It had been, everyone agreed, a very successful, typical match, going off without a hitch, as would be expected of a second generation match.

  
He looked over the paperwork, it told him the basics of his partner's history, training, and impressive (he was assured) lap times. Date of Birth: 07/01/89. Gender: M, height 5'8. Weight: 116 lbs. He flipped to the page with pedigree at the top, and his eyes went wide. Beside the male Driver's names were their matches. Actually, his Driver had some matched females farther back in his lineage, too, racers from professional women's teams. But what was most impressive was the line that said out of Silverline, By Shoe(Michael Schumacher). First breeding both parents.

  
He did a quick maths problem in his head. His Driver had been born just as Schumacher started his career. His Driver was Shoe's first son. His heir!

  
He wrote in Prince on the blank line left between the ID number and his name.

  
10984A7Jan89 Prince (Nico Rosberg)

  
Then he turned the file around for it to be motorised by the FIA official. The woman looked down at the paperwork and up at them holding hands and staring at her. She looked down at the paperwork, back at Nico.

  
"Tell him to take his jumpsuit off."

  
Nico was taken aback by the abruptness of this. He did as he was told, though. Prince immediately began stripping off this jumpsuit until only his underwear remained.

  
The problem was immediately obvious. The short haired, stocky driver just slightly smaller on every scale than Nico, with the slightly more rounded face, was more rounded everywhere.

  
Breasts and hips in particular.

  
Nico averted his eyes. The woman looked at Nico, staring back over his shoulder, and the devastated expression on Prince's face that her partner was too upset by her to look at her.

  
"Nico." The woman said.

  
It was the first time he'd been called by his first name since he'd gotten here, and it startled him into looking at her.

  
"Nico, if you don't finish signing the paperwork, none of this is valid. This is obviously a mistake and the company is ruthless in dealing with mistakes like this. If you don't sign the paperwork, they'll take Prince away and you'll never see your Racing Driver again, and there will never be another one. If you sign, He is yours, forever."

  
"What, what do you want me to do?" He couldn't take his eyes off Prince's face. "She's not a he."

  
"It won't matter, if you sign the paperwork. Racing Drivers details are hidden from everyone but matches and medics, and Trainers."

  
"But we're not the same. We don't match."

  
"Nico, I was good friends with your father, years ago. Did he ever give you a reason to believe he ever regretted his choice?"

  
"His was a man."

  
"A stallion, not a mare. And you don't know that. Driver's details are confidential. They would never get out, because if that information got out, it would be the end of FIA. No one ever had to know but the medics, Nico. There could be 15 mares on the grid for all we know. They could ALL be mares, for all of that."

  
"I don't know." He couldn't look away from Prince's gaze.

  
"Ask yourself if you want to let her die."

  
Nico frowned. "Of course not." He crossed and signed the last of the paperwork, accepting from now on to be responsible for his Racing Driver. No matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Nico make the right decision?


	4. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Ricky Carmichael, Nicole Behar, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Arrival at camp on GT Day**

**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 2016**

　

There was miles of warehouses. They were just out in the middle of nowhere. "'Murica." Lewis muttered as they drove towards what looked like a small town made entirely of storage facilities. It was visible for miles, and it just kept growing as they got closer.

　

Nico laughed, but only a little he could feel a little buzzing in the back of his mind that was going to sharpen into Prince's bond. This was not what he had anticipated from his day. They'd been pulled off the red carpet and sent west, into the middle of America. Prince, and presumably Snap, were already here. Had been taken from the Mercedes stable and brought here. Was the whole Mercedes stable here? There had to have been a closer place for them to go.

　

'Nico.' The faint call came, 'We have been taken. Nico, we're scared. Snap got tranquilized. We don't know these Racing Drivers. Come get us.'

　

'Lewis and I are on the way, Prince. Just hold tight. We're going to be here for awhile. I'll come find you as soon as I can.'

　

Lewis growled deep in his throat. "They better not have hurt Snap." He'd obviously heard about his partner getting tranquilized.

　

"Prince would catch him if he fell." Nico said, he offered his teammate a small smile. They were very good at saying things without saying them, by now.

　

They drove through the gate and the little streets of the warehouse complex. There were Racing Drivers being moved by bond pairs, from warehouse to warehouse. There were lorries, a line of them 50 long, unloading streams of Racing Drivers. Every color was represented. There were actually a lot more oranges than Nico had ever seen. They were rare on tracks, but apparently made up most of the mono-tone population of the stables. The mono-tones were in very much the minority, though. Even the bi-tones were a tiny fraction compared to the poly-tones. Nico hadn't even seen a poly-tone before today.

　

The SUV pulled up next to a warehouse with the word ADMIN painted in huge letters on the front. The men escorted Nico and Lewis out of the car, and then pulled duffle bags out of the back and handed them to them.

　

"Where are our Course Advisors?" Lewis asked the man who'd taken them off the red carpet.

　

The man looked blank for a moment. "Your RD's are a couple buildings over, we're going to get you two checked in and then I'll take you over there, feel free to share with them, you're not going to have to pretend, here. We all support your connection."

　

Nico and Lewis exchanged glances.

　

"We're going to have an airing of the Broadcast in about half an hour. You'll have a better idea what's going on, then."

　

They followed him inside the ADMIN building, there was a line of tables with people queueing in front of them. Nico recognized one or two as other matches, but most of them were just ordinary people. They were in a queue with men who were clearly giving off the vibe of matches. Half of them kept making the "listening to someone you can't hear" face. Their line approached a table and a young man asked them for Lewis' name.

　

"Mr Hamilton, Snap is waiting for you in building 17, there is a map by that door. Your personal space will be in building 76. When you've collected your Stig and dropped your things off at your personal space, it is imperative that you come back here for the briefing. All the bond pairs are being assigned shifts to take care of the unmatched Stigs.

　

"Stig, what?"

　

"Your Racing Driver. Since the Broadcast everyone has started calling them Stigs."

　

Lewis raised his eyebrows at Nico. "I've got a Stig."

　

"Is Prince a Stig, too?" Nico asked the young man.

　

"All the Racing Drivers, sir. Name?"

　

"You're asking his name? Well now I don't feel so bad. That's Nico Rosberg, man." Said a voice from in front of them in the line.

　

A man pushed back through the line and shook Nico's hand. "Nico, Lewis, great to see you guys. What are you doing here?"

　

"Ricky!" Lewis said, shaking the motocross legend's hand. "We were at the ___ show and they brought us out here."

　

"What are you doing here?" Lewis asked.

　

"Ratchet and I were out in New Mexico, but the west coast camp had enough bond pairs to do all the work, so the GT Crew sent us out here instead. Ratchet and I, isn't it a kick to be able to say it out loud? I bet you F1 guys talk about them all the time. It's a little harder when you're in a sport where it's still obscure."

　

"What?" The Mercedes guys asked together.

　

"You have a Racing Driver?" Nico asked. "But Ricky, you don't drive a car."

　

"Aww, yeah. Ratchet's the first Racing Rider. Saw a bike, never looked back. He's getting some real competition these days, but even with the Riders, motocross was never the favorite. They're all over motoGP, though."

　

"Mr Rosberg?" The young man took the opportunity to try to get his line moving again. "Prince is waiting for you in building 17 and your personal space is in building 76 as well. Please come back here after you've collected your Stig and dropped off your personal belongings."

　

"Ratchet is waiting with Cage and Kenny. We'll see you guys after you watch the Broadcast, ok?" Ricky nodded at them.

　

"You've seen it?" Lewis asked. "How did it turn out?"

　

Ricky shook his head. "The companies are over. When I say it will change your life, I mean it will change who you are. Obviously all this will change your life." He laughed. "Go find your guys."

　

They looked at the map. The compound was laid out in double rows of 20 warehouses. On the top of the map had been glued a piece of poster board that extended the map past where the compound used to end, it detailed washroom facilities, 10 kart tracks, and way out on the far edge of the board, latrines.

　

Their RD's were in a building with over a hundred other milling Racing Drivers, some of them wearing jumpsuits, but some in normal clothing. They were revving and gesturing, some confused, some scared, some holding court. Like Snap.

　

There were about 25 Racing Drivers crowded around Snap, Prince and...Jeff Gordon's Racing Driver. Snap and the Nascar Driver were telling jokes. Prince was watching the crowd where she could feel Nico. The Racing Drivers cleared out of the way, shying away from touching the two humans.

　

Snap waved in greeting when they came in sight. He gestured to Jeff's Driver. [This is my match, Lewis, and Prince's match, Nico. Guys, say hi to-] He made a gesture.

　

'His name is Hummer.' Prince sent. 'Nico, did you hear we can be here without helmets? Hummer says humans here know about us, and even know we can talk with our bond. Won't this be great? And I found Britney Spears!' Prince took Nico by the arm and cast around among the crowd. She dragged him towards the wall. The Racing Drivers were dispersing, now that the entertainment was ended.

　

There was a blonde Racing Driver standing cross armed by the wall. She didn't look like Brittany Spears, but she did look almost exactly like Prince. She had a baby in a sling at her hip.

　

He politely didn't acknowledge the infant, it's face was covered, but the mares didn't like humans looking at their babies until they were weaned. Even though the infants couldn't bond, the mares were protective.

　

[This is Bear.] Prince told Nico. [Bear, this is Nico.]

　

The female Driver waved at him.

　

[Bear only turns left.] Prince told Nico. [She says she would like to turn right, but she doesn't like drift, like the dirtboys, and so if she wants to drive with grip, she can only turn left. I told her about tracks, and she was very excited, can we have her come visit our tracks?]

　

Nico's heart always melted a little when Prince referred to the GP circuits as "Our Tracks." [Well I don't know when we'll be racing again, but I might be able to talk to her match.]

　

"Talk to me about what?" Said a woman's voice.

　

Bear's match looked just like her, and just like Prince, and quite like Nico. It was like looking in the weirdest display of funhouse mirrors.

　

"Hello, I'm Nico. Prince asked me to invite you and Bear to drive on an F1 track. I don't know what will be happening with racing next year, but I would be happy to invite you. If I have any way to do that."

　

"I know who you are. We're fine, we don't need charity invitations." She set her mouth and crossed her arms, mirror image of her Racing Driver.

　

"Oh, not charity. We won't be going easy on you, after all." Nico smirked. "If you want to win against us, you'll have to actually drive well."

　

She looked at him suspiciously. "Look, I know how you guys look at female Racing Drivers, and I know how stallions feel about mares who race, but don't think she's going to be all over your stallion, just because he's..." She actually looked at Prince. "Oh my god."

　

Nico nodded. "I imagine the pedigrees would have something to say about it. Is Shoe her sire? Or is Silverliner her Dam?"

　

"Both..." She murmured, still struck by the incredible likeness of their two Racing Drivers.

　

"They're full siblings, then. Good bloodline. They've got half brothers who race F1."

　

"Yeah, Shoe's colts are everywhere. I've never seen any of them who look so much like her, though." She looked up at him. "He's quite a bit shorter than you."

　

He nodded. "Proportioned about the same, so it's harder to tell on camera. Easier to walk through the paddock side by side, though."

　

She sighed. "I'm sorry, it just gets my back up sometimes. Races are bad enough, but here...it's not even the stallions, you know, they all seem shy and in awe. It's the matches. They're the ones with the bias, and sick of all the, you know, studding stress. If they think that's bad, they should try keeping a pregnant mare happy the last two months of a season. I don't know how I am going to keep THAT up if there's racing after this. I'm Nicole Behar, by the way."

　

Nico frowned. He wanted to encourage her. This girl was probably just out of secondary school. Her mare couldn't have had more than one breeding trip. He wanted to share what he'd learned keeping Prince happy and racing during her pregnancies. He didn't want to tell her Prince's secret, though. Was there a way he could help without saying anything about it being Prince he was refering to?

　

She misinterpreted his frown and silence. "Yeah, I'm sure two weeks of angst is harder than 6 months of morning sickness and moodiness." She sneered. "Jerk. Come on, Bear." She took her Driver's hand and they walked away.

　

Great. That had gone well.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should he tell?


	5. Welcome to Formula 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Welcome to Formula 1**

**2007 -In Season**

　

  
"Mr. Hamilton is here to visit you, Mr. Rosberg. If you have some time?" The aide who leaned in had a neutral expression on his face. "He's got someone else with him." His eyes went not at all subtly to Prince.

  
"Oh, Lewis, yeah, have him come up." The aide closed the door. [You'll like Lewis.] Nico told Prince. He'd seen Lewis around, but the young matches were both very busy, and the Drivers hadn't been out much during race weekends. "He's a joker. Do you think it's his Racing Driver with him?" He looked at Prince for confirmation.

  
[Probably.] Prince gestured, meaning yes. They practiced ambiguity any time they were in public. There were cameras everywhere in the motorhomes, and getting caught doing something wrong was inevitable, unless you were always on guard against looking like you were doing something wrong.

  
[Cool, I haven't seen him.]

  
There was a more aggressive knock at the door. "Nico, open the door, mate."

  
Nico invited the two in.

  
Lewis was in his race suit, and his driver was in a team uniform. They would switch out of camera view just before the race. The Driver was wearing a balaclava and sunglasses. He moved just like Lewis, though.

  
[Hi Lewis. Uh, this is Prince. Prince, this is Lewis.]

　

　

Prince jutted her chin at Lewis and revved.

　

　

[Hi, I'm Nico.] Nico gestured to the Racing Driver.

　

Lewis nodded at Prince, and shook Nico's hand. [This is Snap. You can take that off.] He told his Driver.

  
Snap pulled the glasses and balaclava off, replacing the sunglasses on his head, mussing his flattened hair. He walked over to Prince and looked her up and down. The two stared at each other and then Prince reached out and pulled Snap into a hug, which the other Driver returned with effusive back patting. They revved at each other, nodding and smiling.

  
Lewis and Nico watched them.

  
"Well I'm glad that wasn't disturbing, Alonso's Driver licked him. The Drivers in GP2 were so normal by comparison."

  
"He nipped Prince when they met. Pretty hard, I guess. Then bopped him on the nose. Prince has been super impressed with him ever since." He shrugged at the bizarre ways of Racing Drivers.

  
"I'm always impressed when strange men bite me the first time I meet them." Lewis said with a straight face. "Aren't you?"

  
"Oh, yeah." Nico nodded, his smile curling at the edges. "What better introduction could you ask for. If you don't know someone after they've bitten your face, you probably never will."

  
Lewis laughed. "On the face?"

  
"Yeah! Right on his cheek. There was marks for two days. I had to do this makeup thing to get the same effect on my face."

  
"Why didn't you just put makeup on his face to cover them?" Lewis asked.

  
"We tried that. There were indents. You could still see the shape."

  
Lewis laughed again. "That is classic."

  
"It was an interesting welcome to F1. Welcome, by the way, congratulations!" He shook Lewis' hand again, hugging him with one arm.

  
"This is gonna be great, I can't believe we're both racing in the top of the game."

  
Nico nodded.

  
'Hey, Snap was on my GP2 team when I left.' Prince told him.

  
'I know. You think he's fast?'

  
'He's VERY fast. Not a lot of great drives, not ones that count, but now that he's here, we'll see.'

  
Lewis was staring intently at him.

  
"What?" Nico grinned.

  
Lewis lowered his voice. "You looked off into the distance, like you were trying to hear something I couldn't."

  
For a moment, Nico wondered if Lewis seriously hadn't heard his own Racing Driver before, didn't recognize the expression of a match talking to their Driver. Then he realized the intensity of the stare was a signal of the weight of the question. He laughed.

  
"Oh, yeah." He said, slightly louder than necessary, if they were going to play dumb, he could play dumb, "I was just wondering what Prince would say about Snap, if I asked. I think he'd say he's really fast."

  
The delight on Lewis' face was well disguised, but Nico had known him a long time. "That's great. I think Snap would say Prince is going to be so much fun to drive against."

  
It took effort not to laugh at the fake earnestness he put into the word "Think."

  
"What, no one else puts words in their Driver's mouths?"

  
"Not that they would admit. For awhile I thought it was just me, like it was a weird habit, or that I was going to need some time off in a quiet place."

  
"I was worried about that when I started doing it, too, but just about all the guys here do it, it's kind of a major pastime."

  
"It's easier to see how to help him drive better if I can get myself in his same frame of mind." Lewis nodded.

  
Poor Lewis, how long had he been alone with this secret? He seemed just thrilled to have someone to talk about it with. Someone to test the waters and see if their experience was like his. Nico could remember being the same way, actually. Except he'd had a teammate slip and give it away in GP2, so he'd had someone to talk about it with. Plus, as soon as he bonded with Prince, all his dad's stories made a whole lot more sense. He'd dropped a couple hints, and his father had dropped some back, but firmly refused to discuss the subject in any sort of open manner. Even when Nico had asked him the name of his best friend when he'd been in F1. He gave the same standard answer that Nico knew. So he hadn't learned much from that source, but knowing he wasn't alone was a huge comfort.

  
He invited Lewis to sit on the couch. He pulled Prince tight against him, and rested his chin on the Driver's shoulder, arms draped casually around her. Prince carried on her conversation with Snap, melding herself into Nico.

  
Lewis' eyes went wide at this. Snap threw himself down on the couch, knee to knee with Prince, gesturing about the corners at Barcelona. Lewis perched next to him, on the edge of the couch, the edge of his hand, rested on his knee, just barely touching Snap. Obviously he had the desire to be in contact with his Driver, but wasn't confident enough to be demonstrative about it.

  
Nico stared at where his hand touched Snap, and then smiled up at him.

  
With a moment's hesitation, he stroked a hand down Snap's shoulder and resting it on his back. Snap shivered visibly and made a happy little rev. He scooted back against Lewis, snuggling into him. The hesitation returned, but when Lewis looked at Nico and Nico was still smiling as though nothing was amiss, he relaxed, and rested his chest against Snap's side.

  
"Snap is really friendly." Nico said, "It's obvious he's really glad to be with you."

  
"Thanks."

  
"What color does he like?"

  
His friend grinned. He nodded. "He really likes to wear grey. What color does Prince like?"

  
"He likes grey, too. Dark Grey especially."

  
"Snap likes really pale grey."

  
"Yeah. I could see that."

  
"What?"

  
"Well, like, Alonso's Driver, he likes blue, and Jensen's is Blue, too. Mark Webber's is Blue, but Dark Blue. And Michael's and Juan Pablo's are Red."

  
It took a moment of thinking to work this out, but Nico wasn't sure how to be clearer without being too clear, eventually Lewis nodded. "Who else's like grey?"

  
"I can't really think of any right now. Just ours. You can tell which ones they'll be, they're the ones who aren't jumping around, all excited, very precise. They're kind of halfway between the ones that like to wear white, those ones are the ones who you'll see standing back learning everything about everybody, and the ones that wear black, they're super intense, and once they've decided, that's it. Goal oriented."

  
"Well why does Alonso's like blue and Webber's likes dark blue?"

  
"They're both really into being around other Drivers, and they both kind of," Nico thought. This was so cool, talking to Lewis about all this stuff he'd picked up over the year. "Like they don't worry about stuff. Like when Alondra bit Prince. He just did it. He felt like he needed to bite him, so he did. They don't play around, I guess. But Webber's is more expressive, and Alondra gets along better."

  
"Alondra is Alonso's Driver's name?"

  
"Yeah."

  
"What's Webber's Driver's name."

  
"Rabbit, I think. I only know Alondra's name because Fernando said it when he bit Prince."

  
"I bet I could guess what Drivers who wear red like."

  
"Probably."

  
"Winning."

  
"Well, they all like winning. Reds are the ones who are always using big gestures, and jumping out of the wrecks and going after the other Drivers. They're the ones who drive up the inside of corners when you're trying to hit the apex, no shame. They are REALLY friendly to the Drivers they like, though.

  
"What other colors are there?"

  
"I've seen Yellow, they're like always hanging around the ones who aren't doing well, but their driving is like scientific. They're smart, quick learners, they don't make the same mistake twice. Then, of course there's Greens. They're bossy, and clean and a little OCD. I haven't seen any of the Orange ones, I hear they race in endurance racing. Then there's the ones with two colors, Bi-Tones. They're never as fast, their color affinities don't mean the same things. And in America, and some other places, they have Poly-Tones. They're even slower, but they race in a bunch of the lower classes."

  
"The ones who like white sound a lot like ours."

  
"That's why I wasn't surprised yours likes light grey. Prince is very stubborn. Snap seems more laid back."

  
"Geeze, Professor Nico."

  
"You asked, man."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The future rivals meet. How will they get along?


	6. Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Romain Grosjean, Esteban Guitierrez, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Contact**

**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 2016**

　

　

American stables dealt with their Racing Driver's inclination towards contact a little differently than European stables.

  
Lewis collapsed on his cot, sitting slumped with his elbows on his knees, head hanging.

  
Snap and Prince sat down next to their matches, leaned back with their arms braced on the far edge of the cots behind them.

  
Nico was on his cot, the next one over, with his eyes squeezed shut and a grimace of pain on his face. His head ached like he'd broken a helmet.

  
"I'm so tired." Lewis muttered.

  
Nico's frown deepened. How was Lewis just tired? Nico felt like he'd lifted a toolbox with just his jaw muscles. Over and over for the 8 hours of their shift. Prince was slumping a lot more than Snap.

  
He opened his eyes when another weight settled on the bed. If Snap had decided he wanted to play and was over here with Prince...in Nico's bed... He opened his eyes.

  
Alisar was sitting on under Prince's arm, whimpering just audibly. Prince made a steady, reassuring noise like she did when she was soothing baby Racing Drivers.

  
Esteban settled beside them at the foot of Nico's cot and picked up his partner's hand.

  
Goose was sitting on Snap's knee, head tucked into Snap's neck, with a shell shocked look on his face. Snap was making the same noise as Prince.

  
Romain was standing in the aisle, balancing four bowls of soup. "We brought you dinner."

  
The sun wasn't even coming up, yet. Lewis stood and helped Romain with the soup. He handed a bowl to Nico and a bowl to Prince and held the other two, since Snap's hands were full.

  
"Here." Esteban pulled spoons wrapped in cloth napkins from his back pocket and another napkin with sliced white bread, which spilled crumbs all over Nico's cot when he opened it.

  
Nico looked at the crumbs and didn't have the energy to wish they weren't all over his bed. He took his and Prince's slices of bread.

  
Prince looked at Nico and handed him her bowl as well, and went back to comforting Alisar.

  
[I want to go home. Please?] He gestured. [I am tired of switching stables. I don't KNOW any of these Racing Drivers. None of them are from my bloodline and none of them understand F1 and some of them don't know how to turn right. I want to go home.] He sniffled and Prince wiped his eyes.

  
[Why are we here? I don't understand why there aren't handlers taking care of these unmatched Drivers. Why aren't they home, too?] Snap asked. He patted Goose's back. The other Driver still hadn't opened his tight squeezed eyes.

  
Lewis looked for some place to set the bowls, but it was just cots or the floor, so he sat down with a bowl on each knee. "How did you guys do?" He asked Romain.

  
"It was not easy. We could only move about 50 apiece, and that was after practicing all night. One of the stallions challenged Alisar, and then bit him before it backed down." Romain sighed.

  
Alisar waved a bandaged hand that Nico hadn't noticed before.

  
"I don't know how Trainers at stables do this so long." Esteban said, covering his eyes with his hand, looking like Nico felt.

  
"They don't have to, there's walls at stables." Romain muttered. Then sighed happily, "I miss walls."

  
"Seriously, guys, we've been here like, two days." Lewis patted Snap, who patted Goose, and shifted him off his lap and under his arm, like Prince and Alisar. Lewis handed him his bowl and the four of them ate while Romain, Esteban and Alisar told them about their shift, and the other Racing Drivers they'd worked with, and their matches, and how different the other class Drivers were.

  
When Snap was finished eating, he collected Goose back up into his lap. The Driver hadn't said anything during the meal, just clung to the other stallion.

  
Nico heard voices behind him, he turned and saw a group of the American matches, a couple of them with their Drivers, staring at the F1 Drivers, and the way they were all cuddled together. The matches wore sneers, the Drivers wore closed, wistful expressions.

  
Two of the men were standing lightly shoulder to shoulder with their Drivers, and one had his arm around his Driver's shoulders. There was one standing away from his match, The other Drivers were absent entirely.

  
Romain looked where Nico was looking. He made a flash of a gesture and Goose, even though he couldn't have seen the gesture with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and stared back at the men.

  
Then he stood up and walked towards them, shoulders back.

  
"Goose, I did not mean..." Romain looked back and forth at the other F1 guys and jumped up after his match.

  
Goose stopped in front of the Driver whose match wasn't touching him. He was significantly taller than the American Driver. [We are free. You are free. You are not a tool. Tell him.] He gestured again, including all four Drivers. [Tell them.]

  
The first Driver looked down.

  
"What are you doing?" The match said to Goose, then looked at Romain instead. "What is he doing?"

  
[I cannot understand you when you don't speak properly. They did teach you to speak, didn't they?] Goose gestured to the man. He left the question opened ended, practically demanding an answer. Goose's gestures, as always, were beautifully performed and precise.

  
[I can speak.] The man gestured. His gestures too, were well formed.

  
[Ask him what he wants.]

  
[I want contact.] The American Driver burst out. [I don't want to hurt you, I don't want to stud with you, I want to be next to you. You are my other self!] He hesitated a split second and then hugged his match, holding on firmly with occasional back pats, until his human responded.

  
One of the men whose Driver wasn't there still looked incredibly uncomfortable and took a step back. The Driver with his arm around his match's back smiled and nuzzles his face, and his match squeezed him closer. One of the men leaning lightly against his match leaned more closely.

  
The other Racing Driver who'd been touching his human, grabbed his human's hand. The man pulled away, and then got caught in eye contact with his Driver. There were barely made flashes of gesture and the Racing Driver raised his eyebrows. The man held his hand out and his other half took hold of it.

  
The two men who didn't have their Drivers with them elbowed each other and they both walked off towards the sleeping cupboards.

  
The man who was obviously uncomfortable muttered, "Sappy."

  
Goose turned to him. [He drove better when you still hugged him, though, didn't he?] He turned, wrapped an arm around Romain's waist and started back towards their friends. [I am going to like it at this stable.] He grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you have spoken up?


	7. In Sync

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**In Sync**   
**2006- In Season**

　

  
Keeping Prince's secret was really not that much different than keeping any other Racing Driver secret. There was always a higher risk that if there was a crash, uncontrolled circumstances would result in Prince's gender being revealed. The medics, though, knew about Racing Drivers, and were more heavily enjoined against discussing the Drivers. Some of them gave Nico odd looks after Prince's first crash, but since they met the requirements of having the same haircut, matching in any scars/tattoos/body modification, and there was no actual specification about a Driver and match being of the same gender, none of them said anything, except maybe to each other. Nico avoided the medics.

  
He referred to Prince as masculine, thouugh, in his head, out loud, when he was addressing him. It would have been too easy to slip, in German or Italian or Spanish and use a feminine pronoun. So he thought of him as a him.

  
It got easy over time. Most of the time he didn't think of it.

  
Their workout was harder on Nico than it was on Prince. The Racing Driver could lift more, run faster, longer and still feel ready to drive two hours. Nico never felt the urge to compete with her. He worked out to keep himself in shape, not keep up.

　

He worked out until his muscles ached pleasantly. He liked pushing himself to the wall, pushing beyond it, and staying there as long as he could. He scrubbed his hair with shampoo. The shower was making his skin steam. It was perfect. The curtain moved. Without thinking, he reached out and turned the shower down a few notches. [I feel like the apex on corner 10 is a little earlier than you're taking it.] He gestured. His hair was so full of suds and bubbles that it was standing up off his head. He had a fluffy bubble hat.

  
Prince reached up and pushed his forehead back, lightly. [You think I don't know where the apex is?] She gestured back. She shouldered Nico out of the way and got under the spray. Seamlessly, Nico stepped around her and grabbed the body wash.

  
[I feel like you're feeling a lot more G-force on 10 than you should be.] He squeezed the scent-free wash onto a washcloth and started scrubbing his shoulders. [That's all. I defer to your expertise, but I am noticing a difference.]

  
[Everyone will be diving in on that corner.] Prince picked up the shampoo bottle. [Hand, please.]

  
Nico held out his hand.

  
Prince squeezed a glob of shampoo into it, then turned around, put the bottle back on the shelf.

  
Nico glopped the shampoo on the top of his Racing Driver's dishwater blonde hair. He scrubbed it in, until they had matching bubble hats. He hummed the melody of their new favorite song. "Get you where you wanna go, if you know what I mean," He sang under his breath. He soaped up a washcloth and handed it to Prince. "Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine. Zero to sixty in three point five. If you want to get with me, then shut up and Drive, drive drive."

  
[What's a limousine?] Prince gestured, when he'd stopped singing. She scrubbed her skin until it was pink. [Back, please.] She turned around and Nico scrubbed her back.

  
[A really long street car. Poor cornering.] Nico turned around and Prince scrubbed his back in return. The water ran over Nico's head, rinsing the shampoo out.

  
[What's the point, then?] Prince tipped her head back under the spray, rinsing her bubble hat all down her back.

  
[It's a slow, fancy way to get places, so people can see you.] Nico pulled his razor off the shelf and lathered up his face with the shaving cream.

  
[Like the Driver's parade.] Prince put in her own conditioner, then Nico's, making sure not to joggle his head against the razor.

  
Nico paused mid-rinse of his razor. [Yeah, exactly.] He made another careful swipe down his face. He considered how he would look with a goatee. He might think about growing one in the off season, this year. Couldn't have one during the season, but he could try it out. It might make him look a little older.

  
[Alondra said those cars could go fast, if we were allowed to drive them.] Prince carefully rinsed the conditioner out of her hair.

  
[What, the classics? Yeah, some of them would. Not as fast as the Williams, but faster than most street cars.] Nico shaved under his nose. The smooth skin was nice, too.

  
[Alondra said Fernando has more than one car in his garage at home. How does he fit them in? Where does the equipment go?] Prince moved next to Nico so he could see Nico's face in the little shower mirror.

  
[He probably has a garage that has more space, like team garage size, or bigger, and he probably doesn't have all the telemetry equipment and monitors and stuff, and he doesn't need anywhere for the crew, 'cause there aren't crews for street cars.] Nico shaved up to his left sideburn and rinsed the razor again. He looked at Prince's eyes in the mirror.

  
[Alondra says Fernando shaves him, and it's his favorite thing."

  
Nico dropped his eyes and checked the blade for signs of wear. [Alondra grows facial hair.] He shrugged.

  
[Yes.] The simple thumbs up was weighted with meaning, but Nico didn't know what it was meant to be.

  
He didn't want to guess. He swapped places with Prince and rinsed the conditioner out of his hair.

  
Prince got tired of waiting for a response from him. [I want to do something that makes us feel that close.] She stepped out of the shower and pulled her steel coloured towel off the neat stack. She handed Nico the silver grey towel.

  
[Okay. Which part makes them feel close?] Nico rubbed the towel over his hair.

  
[Alondra just, likes Fernando taking care of him, making sure he's at his best.] There was a pause as Prince bent down to dry her legs off.

  
[Don't I do that for you? This is your haircut, not mine. Maybe we need something that is more us?] She went to the cupboard and pulled out clothes and an extra strength Ace bandage.

  
[Like this?] Prince showed him a picture of Fernando slow dancing with a duplicate of himself, both of them in race gear, in what was presumably his room in the motorhome.

  
Nico scrunched his eyebrows and nose and looked over his shoulder at Prince.

  
[It's great for footwork. Alondra says his feet got way faster when he learned, and he uses the same skills to feel where Fernando is guiding him as he uses when he's feeling what the car is saying, and then when he leads, he learns how to direct the car even better.] She grabbed her shorts and pants off the pile and pulled them up over her hips. She held her arms over her head, grasping the fingers of the left in the right.

  
There was a part of his mind that rebelled at the two Spaniards ballroom dancing for driving practive. Logically, though, those were all very valid points. Lots of athletes took dance classes to improve coordination. [Okay. I don't know how to dance, like that, though.] He pinned the end of the bandage to Prince's ribs with one hand and unrolled it around with the other.

  
[They have entire people who will show you how!] Prince lit up with delight in being able to impart this knowledge to him.

  
Unless they could find a dance instructor who was under FIA jurisdiction, that would mean Nico taking classes by himself and trying to carry the information back to Prince. He trapped the end of the bandage as he passed over it. They'd tried that before, and it didn't work, because if he didn't totally grasp a subject, he taught it wrong and they were both eventually so far off track it became too much of a muddled mess to carry on. He carried on circling his partner's ribs. There wasn't much to hide, Prince didn't have a lot of body fat to spare, but the shape would have been distinct without the bandage. He pinned the end in place with two pins and then a piece of medical tape.

  
[I'm sure someone here could teach us. I'll ask around.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They have to come up with alternative ways of dealing with day to day things. Does this weaken or strengthen their bond?


	8. Nico Speaks Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, AJ Foyt, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Nico Speaks Up**

**Two weeks after arrival- first morning shift team meeting**

**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 2016**

　

Now they were living in a series of immense warehouses in the middle of a field, somewhere in midwestern America. Nico was still pretty sure FIA was going to catch up with them, and punish them for having all these Stigs, away from their stables. Stigs. He'd been calling them Racing Drivers for nearly 15 years, and now, after a broadcast by the Grand Tour, they were Stigs. He shook his head. He crossed the kart track. There were snowdirfts everywhere. The snowdrifts kept moving. That didn't seem natural, watching the landscape crawl around outside the warehouses.

　

Prince was tight against his shoulder. That was out of character for her, and it had Nico worried. Maybe she was picking up on Nico's fear of FIA, and of what was going to happen to them, but Prince kept a lot of things to herself, too. The workout had been good, physical excercise and karting. Prince could kart anytime she was off shift. Which wasn't often. There were other bond pairs here, working non-stop, and a lot of them were big names in American racing, and in racing in general. Some of the best of the old rally champs were here, and a lot of the NASCAR guys. And Nico and Lewis, of course. Snap, for the first time in a long time, was feeling a little out of his depth, wins wise. American Racing Drivers raced until they were much older, as a matter of course. By the time they were in their 4os or 50s, Prince told Nico, she and Snap would have more wins than all of these old Drivers combined, but she, too, was feeling the effects of having so many other talented Racing Drivers at hand. There were around 300 of them.

　

For 140,000 unmatched Stigs.

　

American racing did things in a big way, and that included stables. They had more space, sure, but it had taken Nico a long time to figure out why they needed such a huge breeding pool. It had been a conversation he'd had with Ricky Carmichael that had put things in perspective. Ricky had told him that he'd driven for 13 hours from one race to the next, Nico had asked what country he'd ended up in. Ricky had looked at him like he was crazy and told him that was only to get partway across California. Which was when Nico realized what it meant that this country was about the same size as Europe. If all the stables in all of Europe had to serve the entire, diverse, population of Europe, instead of their own little branch of it, they would have to run much larger breeding programs as well.

　

They entered the tent that served as a mess. This was Nico and Princes' first morning shift. The Mercedes guys had been on the night shift for the first two weeks. Lewis and Snap had a lot more...push...than even some of the older Nascar Drivers, except the biggest winners. Nico was impressed at how many Racing Drivers they could keep in contact with, and under control, at once.

　

He and Prince settled at a table about halfway back from the raised stage area where the administrative team was assembled for daily brief. AJ Foyt stood up in front of the microphone. "Well, morning crew, looks like we're getting the shifts worked out, so hopefully we'll have enough pairs to cover the work today." When AJ spoke, he gestured, drawing his gestures out in a drawl, the same way he spoke. Prince craned her neck to see what was being signed.

　

"Transfer teams, we've seen that the 4 point perimeter system works the best, so we'll be sticking with that for now. If you are selected to try one of the experimental systems, your team leader will let you know. If not, don't you and your co-team start making other arrangements. I'm looking at you, O'Neil." He pointed into the crowd. There was a laugh. "Keep to the system, Timothy, let's keep you and Strike in one piece, alright?"

　

"Now, I am going to say this again, we have a critically limited number of karts. If you are on a track team, I know it's distracting to the Racecar Drivers to see the racing, but it's the match's job to keep them focused. Please remember which half of the pair you are. We can't afford to have the supervision getting so caught up in spectating that no one is keeping the unmatched Drivers in line. If you want to watch, feel free to come watch when you're off shift. When you are on-shift we expect you to be watching what you're doing. We can't afford the racing to get out of hand, we can't afford to lose these karts to crashes. The engineers and mechanics are doing a great job so far, but karts don't grow on trees."

　

"Mess team, things are going fine, just be aware that some of the unmatched Drivers have food sensitivities and if you could try to keep aware of that and keep an eye out. This is food a lot of them aren't used to."

　

"Latrine and shower teams, go on keeping the times low, but don't push. Please continue to carefully monitor your perimeters. The civilians aren't supposed to be on this side of the camp, but there are always exceptions, and we can't risk another incident of unintentional bonding. No one who is not with the on-shift team should be in the area. Even bonded humans have to be careful with unhelmeted unbonded Drivers."

　

"Medical teams, keep doing what you're doing."

　

"Mobile teams and on-call teams, just keep caffeinated and stay on your toes."

　

"Team assignments have been posted on the bulletin board. Is there anything else?" AJ turned to an elderly woman in a chair behind him on the stage. She said something, gesturing with the precision of a lifetime of practice. He answered, half gesturing, himself.

　

He turned around and addressed the crowd again, "Janet has reminded me that there has been a little tension between bond pairs from series with different stable procedures. To those of you who have objections to how matches from other classes treat your Driver, Knock It Off. None of the stable procedures are valid anymore. They are FREE. No one cares if you're from Formula Ford or NASCAR or rally. If your Driver wants to be friends with another Driver, or another match, if they want to try something new, well what are we all here for? To give them the freedom to make their own choices. The whole point is that we don't own them. Are there any questions? Let's get this out in the open."

　

A call went up on the front left. "The NASCAR Drivers call the Rally Drivers dirt boys. Not in a nice way."

　

"Tell them to settle it on the track." Someone yelled.

　

"The Rally Drivers aren't as happy on tarmac, could we set up a dirt track?" A cheer went up from the rally pairs.

　

"That's a great suggestion, Tanner." AJ said. "If you'll come up after the meeting, we'll see what we can do."

　

Nico looked over the crowd. He hadn't met most of the morning crew, since he'd been here. He'd been asleep while they'd been on shift, and on shift while they were on free time. He hadn't realize Tanner Foust was here. He could just barely see the twin brunette heads through the crowd. He nudged Prince. "That's American Stig's match." He said and gestured. Prince nodded purely in acknowledgement that he'd spoken. Before two weeks ago, Prince had been completely oblivious to the existance of Top Gear, the Grand Tour, and the Stigs. She'd watched the broadcast on the big projected screen, with Nico and a bunch of the other refugees, with Nico explaining what most of it meant. Mostly what it meant to Prince was that now they lived in a tent and talked to unmatched Racing Drivers all day.

　

"What are we going to do about the mares?" Another voice came from the other side.

　

"What about the mares?" AJ asked. "We're going to treat them just like the rest of the Racecar Drivers. If you're worried about stud trips..."

　

"The matched mares. My...A lot of the Drivers are really distracted by them. It's not like the unmatched ones. The mares who drive, the stallions really like them, none of the racing stallions are interested in the unmatched mares, but how are we supposed to keep their minds on their work when there's attractive females around. It's bad enough when there's one racing, at least then the driving keeps the stallions focused, out here, it'll be worse."

　

AJ turned around and looked at Janet. He shrugged. She gestured, with a smirk, something Nico couldn't see most of. There was a laugh among the other administrators on the platform.

　

Rusty Wallace made a face and gestured. [That's what I'd tell him. Except I'd call him a loose bolt.] There was another laugh.

　

AJ spoke into the microphone again. "If your Driver attracts one, then by all means, all happiness to them. If he can't, tell him it's no more acceptable to give them extra attention that it would be to anyone who wasn't interested. If you think we should keep them somewhere else, well that's just not going to happen. We need all the bond pairs we can get."

　

"But they're distracting. They might show up all the time in NASCAR, you guys are all used to them. Most classes, the Drivers never even get to see a mare who races. Like in F1. Right, Rosberg? Yours has probably never seen a mare outside winter trips."

　

Nico's head came up. Why would this guy pick him for backup? He didn't even know who he was. He stood up.

　

"You know what, I don't think I'm the man you want to ask for backup in keeping mares off the grid. I am the fucking last man you should be asking for backup on that score. And for your information, Susie Wolff and Gazelle have been testing for F1 for years, and all the F1 Drivers train at the Nurbergring with Sabine Schmitz and Madeleine, and they make better lap times, because her example inspires them to do their best. I'd like to think that's the case with EVERY mare who races. Keep your sexist shit away from me." He held his hand out to Prince and pulled his partner up beside him. They walked out of the mess tent.

　

He had tears in his eyes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should he tell?


	9. The Memo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**The Memo**   
**2008- Preseason**

  
Nico found out from a memo in his inbox. It said Racing Drivers who worked on teams had to contribute to the ongoing population, and as such, his Driver would be subject to breeding trips. As was standard practice. The copied section of huge rules and regulations that was included had the parts about female Racing Drivers highlighted.

  
He was a little surprised they knew. Of course this was sent by someone who had Prince's file.

  
He read through the regulations for actively racing Mares. The regulations said the trip had to happen 6 months before the beginning of the race season, or before the end of summer break. Unfortunately, that put it in the middle of the season before.

  
The memo gave him 3 options for dates, all within the next two years.

  
It also stated that he was being fined for having missed Prince's first contracted trip, which apparently should have taken place before the 2006 season, 2 years before.

  
The fine just added spit in his face after the punch to his stomach. He ignored it. He initialled the memo and filed it. Then he walked down to the stable wing. The McLaren Main Training Facility, was being greatly expanded after the merger with Mercedes, and renamed the McLaren/Mercedes Training Technology Center. The stables were entirely underground, now, like at Redbull.

  
Nico stood outside Prince's door, trying to think. He leaned his forehead on the door and placed his hand on it. If the door had been glass, he would have looked as though he was leaning on a mirror, because on the other side, in exact parallel, Prince leaned towards him, forehead and hand on the door.

  
He sighed and opened the door. Prince was standing immediately on the other side, as always.

  
They cuddled into each other's arms to greet each other after the long absence overnight. "I have some news." Nico gestured. They went and sat on the couch in the corner of the room.

  
Prince kneeled up behind him and rested her elbows on Nico's shoulders and folded her hands together on top of Nico's head. She rested her chin on her hands.

  
Does she think these positions up when she's in here, alone? Is she just hanging out daydreaming about new ways to cuddle? If Racing Drivers made feel-good movies, they would just be videos of various ways to hold hands. Without thinking about it, though, he put his hands behind him and rested them on Prince's hips. It felt natural, despite the fact he never would have thought of it.

  
They sat like that while he told Prince what FIA had told him to do. She revved sadly a few times, but there was no argument. They had gotten away without this for the 8 years of their partnership, so far. It was inevitable that the company would want to benefit from their success.

  
Nico opened his feelings to Prince. 'I am sorry you have to do this. I want it to be as easy for you as it can be. I want to find someone for you who...' He sent feelings of love, admiration, intimacy, respect, and the feeling of having those things returned. 'Is there anyone you'd like me to ask for? I know you care very much for Alondra.'

  
He sat there in the silence and thought about Prince's trip. He imagined his Racing Driver leaning and putting her hands on either side of Alondra's face, mouths moving closer, and then veering off at the last moment as they nuzzled noses. Then he thought about how Prince and Snap sat together in the motor home while they were waiting on race weekends. He thought about the two both being scared to go through a doorway filled with darkness, and a moment of decision in which they held hands and stepped through together.

  
He was getting very nervous of her silence and was having trouble pushing images out of his mind of blown pupils and Snap's lips.

  
Then he realised that Prince was answering him, and that this was the answer. Prince loved Alondra differently, but felt like Snap would agree to this without resentment.

  
Prince nodded against him.

  
"Alright. I'll ask if it can be Snap."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Prince and Snap get along, why can't Nico and Lewis?


	10. Waiting Rooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Nico's First Waiting Room**   
**2008- Midseason**

  
Nico sat in a chair in a waiting room in the track stable at Silverstone. With both Drivers on the same schedule and in the same places, there was no need for an actual trip, Nico hoped this didn't disrupt either Driver's next race.

  
He was sitting with his hands on his knees, jaw set. This was not like a trip to the doctor, medical as the setting was.

  
A door opened and Lewis stalked through. Nico jumped. He hadn't considered that they might make Lewis wait here, too. He hadn't considered that he was going to have to wait in the same room as Lewis, while the other halves of themselves did what they were here for.

  
He nearly shut his connection to Prince down, there was a snarl of 'Don't you dare.' From the other side , though.

  
Lewis threw himself into a chair. He snorted. Then he looked over and realised the other man in the room was Nico. "Can you believe this? I've had him scheduled for December every year since we started out. Then 6 months ago they rescheduled it for the middle of the bloody season. 2 weeks better be enough to get him back on form, after this. Did they reschedule you, as well?"

  
Nico shook his head. "No, uh, December wasn't going to work for us, this is the only time that I could schedule."

  
Lewis just shook his head. He flicked at the edge of a magazine.

  
Nico was feeling stomach straining nervousness. "Do you mind if we don't talk?" His hands were curling and uncurling reflexively in the air.

  
Lewis looked at him. "Oh. Oh! No problem." He picked up a magazine.

  
They sat in blessed silence, Nico uncomfortably aware only of an emotional thread of resignation coming from his partner. Then a handler came into get Lewis.

  
Lewis stood and walked out without any acknowledgement of Nico other than a partial nod.

  
They came for Nico after Prince's checkup.

  
Prince was on the floor beside the cupboard of the temporary stall she was staying in for this weekend, while the medics checked on her. Nico sat beside her. 'Do you want to tell me about it?'

  
Prince shrugged. 'It wasn't painful, your advice was helpful. He was surprised to find out about me, and willing to share. That is all there is.'

  
Nico held on to Prince. "I don't know if the next part will be harder or easier." He suspected it wouldn't be easier.

  
**Nico's Second Waiting Room  
2009-Midseason**

  
After a couple checkups, the doctors determined that Prince's trip hadn't been successful. Nico was relieved, until he got another memo. Prince's trip had already been scheduled for next year.

  
He was sitting in the waiting room again when Lewis walked in, again. This time Prince wasn't nervous. She had spent more time with Snap since the last time, and they were more comfortable with each other. Instead of nervousness, she felt anticipation. And a few minutes after Lewis arrived in the waiting room, felt happiness.

  
Lewis looked up from the magazine he wasn't really reading. He looked in the direction their Drivers were. He cast a glance at Nico, who looked up to watch his puzzlement. His eyebrows were drawn down and together.

  
Nico flicked his eyebrows up in a question.

  
Lewis looked back at the wall, in the direction of his Driver. He looked back at Nico and shrugged. He looked at the magazine with a half a smile on his face.

  
"Are you alright?"

  
"Guess he likes this one."

  
Nico felt goosebumps raise along his arms.

  
They came and got Lewis. He looked at Nico. "You were here before I got here. Last time, too."

  
Nico shrugged. "No one said I could go." He felt himself numb a little bit. "You said he liked her, maybe it went well."

  
That and Prince had to have a checkup before he could go to her.

  
At the next Grand Prix, as they walked down the pit lane Snap came out of their garage, still dressed as a crewman, and hugged Prince. There was no outward indication of the feel of intimacy that rolled off the two in waves. Nico blushed under his helmet. He looked up into the garage and saw Lewis, in his racing jumpsuit, watching them stiffly.

  
Nico pretended he hadn't seen him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lewis doesn't know, yet. What happen when he finds out?


	11. Reliable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, (Romain Grosjean, Keke Rosberg, Mark Webber, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, AJ Foyt, Max Chilton, Ricky Carmichael, Nicole Behar, Esteban Guitierrez,) AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Reliable**   
**2009- Midseason**

  
At Monza, Kimi walked up behind him and grabbed his arm in a tight grip, steering him around a corner into the Ferrari motor home and into his room. He practically threw Nico into the room. "What the fuck are you doing?" He growled.

  
Nico put his hands up. "I don't know what you are talking about."

  
Kimi paced. "She is going to be too pregnant to race by the end of the season. Do you plan to miss the last two races, or are you going to risk both of them?"

  
The world tilted sideways. His blood drained. "Who...is?" He asked, so shaken that he had to put a hand against the wall.

  
"Prince." Kimi growled. "The whole grid can hear it. Haven't you noticed them all being more excited to see her?"

  
"Her?" Nico couldn't figure out which part of this he was more floored by, enraged Kimi openly discussing the Racing Drivers, or the fact that he was, apparently aware with scientific precision the condition of Nico's partner. The easiest thing to tackle seemed to be that he kept using the wrong pronoun.

  
"Her, your Racing Driver, Prince. They didn't take her without your knowledge, did they? You must know she will have a Little Racing Driver this winter."

  
And that was the first time anyone had ever said it out loud. He put his hands over his face. He moaned. "I know."

  
The anger washed off Kimi's face.

  
"Nico." He took a step forward. "Start from the beginning." Nico would never have admitted it, but he let himself sit on the floor, side by side, tucked under Kimi's arm, and tell him all the things that had happened since he'd been matched with Prince.

  
Kimi's hand stroking up and down his arm, and occasionally over his shoulder and neck, was incredibly soothing. His's breathing was steady and slow and nice. Why was he so good at this?

  
When Nico's narrative wound down, Kimi held him a moment longer. "Hand me your phone."

  
Nico did.

  
Kimi typed in two new contacts. "Tell Mika I told you to call him, but when it gets really bad, you call me."

  
What was going on with his life? Since when was Kimi Raikkonen the most comforting, reliable person he knew? He was going to call him, though, next time something happened. There wasn't enough sensible people in Nico's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you turn your back on help that comes from unexpected places?


	12. You're Not Helping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**You're Not Helping**   
**2009- Postseason**

  
At the end of the last Grand Prix of the season, he walked into his room in the motor home. Lewis was inside. Who kept letting him in here? He was leaning against the wall, one foot up on the wall behind him. Nico knew for sure he practiced poses in the mirror.

  
He cast a dismissive look at Nico and approached Prince. [You are...] He stopped and then looked at Nico, like Nico was going to help him now because Lewis realized that this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. [I didn't know you were a mare.]

  
Prince reared her head back.

  
"Classy." Nico muttered.

  
[Snap says you...] Lewis kept his eyes on Prince's. [You're going to be a mother...] He looked down and tapped his hands on his thighs. [I didn't know you were you a girl. Snap says you've been the one he sees, he said. Did he have something to do with this? I know there's been other trips, but you're here, it's a lot different. He said he can hear them, not like he and you talk, but like that they're there...]

  
Prince stopped him by grabbed his hands out of the air and grasped them at the wrists in her right hand. With the left she unzipped her jumpsuit and pulled it down. She pulled her undershirt up around her ribs. When she did, the illusion that she was Nico went away. The indent of her waist was apparent and so was the slight firm roundness of her belly that had developed over the last month.

  
She took one of his hands in each of hers. She pressed his hands to her belly low on the right side, his fingers under her jumpsuit.

  
His eyes narrowed, he started to pull away.

  
Prince's belly rippled.

  
Lewis's eyes went wide. He looked at Nico. His hand flattened against her belly, absorbing the feel of the Baby Racing Driver kicking inside Prince.

  
[Your soul's son is learning to shift.] Prince gestured, just barely moving her hands. She reached down and took his right hand and placed it on the other side.

  
Her belly rippled on that side.

  
[His other son is practicing too.]

  
Lewis opened and closed his mouth.

  
He looked at Nico. "Have you felt this?!"

  
Nico laughed. "Of course. Since they started moving, I've barely had my hands off him."

  
Lewis's glared. "You CALL her a him. And why do YOU have your hands on her?" He pointed at Nico. "She loves Snap."

  
Nico frowned angrily. "I am her match. You have watched me touch her all these years, even since she has been Snap's mate, and never said a word. Snap may be her mate, but WE are one Racing Driver. I am never going to STOP touching her."

  
Prince stepped back. [Stop yelling. My Baby Racing Drivers don't like it!] She closed her eyes and put her hands on her belly, rumbling like a perfectly tuned engine running on a long straightaway.

  
"Thanks for visiting, Lewis." Nico growled, opening the door.

  
Lewis walked out, casting a glance back at Prince as he went.

  
Nico wrapped his arms around Prince and rested his face on her shoulder. 'I'm sorry he upset you.'

  
She pulled away. 'He's not the only one, Nico.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was Lewis' reaction wrong? Was Nico's? What about Prince?


	13. Prince Speaks Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, AJ Foyt, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Prince Speaks Up**

**Two weeks after arrival- Nico has just walked out of the team meeting**

**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 2016**

　

Nico stood outside the mess tent, one of Prince's arms lightly around his waist. Jimmie Johnson was leading the transfer teams. Nico was going to be in charge of team two. It probably didn't look good for a team leader to walk out of the shift meeting, but that had been just too much to take. He ground the toe of his sneaker on the dirt of the path.

　

'Why was the man mad about mares?' Prince asked.

　

'Because he doesn't see them as the same as stallions. He's worried that the stallions can't see them the same, either. Like the mares being good drivers means the stallions won't think to stop themselves from...wanting to stud.'

　

'Oh, that,' Prince said.

　

'Yes, that. Then he asked me to say the F1 stallions couldn't control themselves if they met a mare who could drive.'

　

'Oh. So you told them about Gazelle and Madeleine.'

　

'Yep.'

　

'Gazelle and Madeleine.'

　

Nico turned slowly. 'Well, Prince...'

　

Prince's eyes raised, very high on her forehead.

　

Nico's eyes flicked to the ground.

　

'We're supposed to be free.'

　

'I didn't think you'd want...I didn't want...You know what? Alright.' He grabbed Prince's hand.

　

They marched back into the tent. The meeting had continued without them. Nico walked right up to the stage and helped Prince climb onto the waist high front of it. Prince braced her feet on the edge, grabbed Nico's hands and helped him up as well.

　

AJ had trailed off what he'd been saying. The entire administrative staff was staring at them. Janet Guthrie and Rusty Wallace and Rob MacCachren all watched him. AJ put a hand up in a small wave. "Not finished yet, Rosberg, came back for another go?" He said into the microphone. There was a laugh around the audience.

　

"Yes." Nico reached for the microphone. He took a deep breath, Prince stood beside him in the Stig pose. "Hi, for those of you who don't know me I'm Nico Rosberg. This is my Racing Driver, Prince. We drive in F1 on the Mercedes AMG team." He waved a hand, Prince nodded to them. "Some guy over here," he waved in the general direction the voice had come from, "Says he's worried that mares who race will distract the stallions." He said this in a sort of Kimi Raikkonen monotone, just covering information. "I have something to say about that."

　

"Yeah, we all heard you." Came a voice from the crowd.

　

"And good on you, Nico!" Yelled Ken Block from the center aisle, two rows back.

　

"Actually, why am I talking? You should be saying this." He stepped aside and waved Prince forward.

　

Prince stepped up to the microphone and then made no use of it whatsoever. [I am a better driver than Gazelle and Madeleine.]

　

There was silence.

　

"Wow, dude." Ken muttered.

　

[Maybe a little more information.] Nico gestured to Prince.

　

Prince nodded. [You know who he is, I don't think you know who I am. I am,] 'Heir to the Throne.' There was a gesture to accompany this, but the feeling was sent to the other Racing Drivers, who relayed it to their matches. [My teammate is Snap, matched to Lewis Hamilton. We have been teammates for 4 seasons. Snap won the World championship two years ago and last year. My dam was out of Beaumont, who was a racing Mare, matched to,] Prince looked at Nico.

　

"Marie-Claude Charmasson." He said. He didn't know her name sign. He wondered how Prince knew her Racing Driver's name sign.

　

[My dam's sire was Papillion matched to,]

　

"Mike Hawthorn."

　

[My sire was Shoe, matched to Michael Schumacher.] Prince knew Michael's name sign, and she wasn't the only one, there was a stir in the crowd, but Nico repeated the names out loud, anyway. [My sire's sire was Super Tex matched to AJ Foyt.] She nodded at AJ, she'd learned the man's name sign since they'd been here.

　

Nico watched AJ's face when Prince announced this. Matches didn't talk about stud trips, and so pedigrees were basically off the table for discussion. It was taboo, but the information was available, and matches paid attention. Nico had seen how Michael had watched Prince. He'd seen how he watched Sunshine. He'd seen the wistful expression in Mika's eyes when he watched Marcus's Lief, Valterri's Pauli, Kevin's Kleverig, and recently, Stoffel's Seven. It was the same way Jos Verstappen watched Max. It was the same way Keke watched Nico.

　

AJ didn't register surprise that his partner had fathered one of the greatest Drivers who'd ever raced. He didn't register surprise that Prince was the next generation, either. He just allowed himself a small smile, and returned the acknowleding nod.

　

[I have been driving in for 16 seasons, 5 seasons in single seat and 11 seasons in F1. This season was a good season for Nico and I.] Prince smiled at him. He smiled back. She turned back to the audience.

　

[None of the F1 Drivers I have raced with have ever been distracted by the fact that I am a racing mare.] She pushed the stand mic down. [If any of you are, feel free to tell it to my world championship.]

　

"Mic drop, nice." Nico murmured.

　

AJ moved forward and patted Nico on the back and gestured appreciately to Prince. "Thank you for that," He looked down at the mic stand. Nico hurriedly picked it back up for the older man. "If anyone has any further objections to the racing mares, like she said, you can take it up with her, and each of the other mares, on the track I'm sure. If you're interested in facing a reigning..." He smirked, "An enthroned world champion." He waved to Nico, "Now if you ever get up on my stage again without being invited, Rosberg, I'll put you two to DIGGING latrines, and bugger the track. Now go sit down and let Grandpa work."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will this revelation change things for Prince and Nico?


	14. Recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Nico Rosberg, Max Chilton, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Recognition**

**2011- In Season**

　

They'd retired the first race of the season. What a way to start.

　

New year, new team, new teammate. Out of the race.

　

To top it off, Prince had gone to the wrong motor home. Nico could feel her in the Force India Motorhome. He was hovering outside trying to figure out a good way to go in without media noticing or someone asking him where he was going.

　

He was standing there, trying to look casual, without having to give an interview, when he realised someone was trying to get his attention who was not a reporter. He was a slim, tall, smooth featured blond.

　

"Excuse me, Nico?" He asked in a British accent.

　

"Yes? What?"

　

"Would you like to come inside? Your friend is already there."

　

'Nico, come with Max. I found a friend.' Prince suddenly sent.

　

"What's your name?" Nico asked.

　

"Max Chilton. I'm going to be driving for Marussia next year." He said, looking a little below Nico's eyes.

　

"I'll come with you." But when he stepped forward, the boy fell into step behind him.

　

He took him up to what must have been the tester drivers' room. There was a Racing Driver who looked like Max, but prettier, sitting on the couch. Prince was laid out on the couch, head in the other Driver's lap.

　

Nico reached out and held Max's hand.

　

Nico had been matched for 9 years. He knew how to keep the lines of the bandage from showing under Prince's jumpsuit, but he could also see even the diminished line of her breasts from across the paddock, because he knew it was there. The soft curve of her waist and the line of her legs, a little more bowed outward at the knees than her male colleagues.

　

He wouldn't have known the signs if the job hadn't been so much checking her to make sure they weren't showing.

　

"What's..." Nico had to swallow the dry lump in his throat. This wasn't the Mercedes Motorhome. There weren't cams everywhere to keep these guys in line every inch of every day. Habits died hard, though, and Nico had learned these for good reason. "What is your Driver's name?"

　

"Freeza." Max said.

　

Freeza was well disguised. Her breasts were smaller than Prince's, but she probably hadn't been on her first breeding trip, yet. Her waist was more defined than Prince's. Prince would have made some stout German girl a good match, but Freeza was built like a willow lathe.

　

Prince smiled at Nico from Where her head was rested on Freeza's knee. [I found a friend.] She sent.

　

[Me too.] Added Freeza.

　

[I see that.] Nico gestured back, but the two Drivers had gone back to quiet revs and gestures.

　

Suddenly they rolled off the couch and stood staring into each other's faces. Prince was 4 inches shorter, it was quite a contrast.

　

The staring contest got intense, and then fierce when Freeza reached up and snapped her fingers next to Prince's ear.

　

Not flinching from the sound, and not blinking, With great solemnity, Prince reached up and tickled Freeza's arm pit through her sweatshirt.

　

Freeza bit her own tongue in concentration.

　

Nico could feel Max looking at him. He looked over. "How did you find Prince?"

　

Max shook his head. "We were walking through the paddock and we were just turning in here and Prince made a bee line for us and started talking to Freeza, Prince just came in here with us and since...he was with us, no one said anything. He asked Freeza if they were you know, the same, and Freeza told him that they are. They've been like this ever since.

　

Prince gestured, [Your car's on fire!] Freeza clearly didn't believe this, but after a moment, her glance flicked to Max for a denial.

　

Prince threw her hands in the air in victory. She hugged and patted Freeza and they threw themselves back into the couch.

　

Prince patted Freeza excitedly. She pulled out of her pocket her ipod and earbuds. She gestured, [Listen to this song!]

　

Freeza looked over at Max. She took the earbud hesitantly, put it in her ear.

　

Prince pressed play and they both sat perfectly still and listened. Nico tuned into what Prince was hearing. It was a song called "I'm in love with my car." by Queen. He wasn't very impressed with it, but Prince thought it was great. Freeza evidently thought so, too, because she was equally entranced. [Nico and I dance, because we don't have shaving time.] Prince told Freeza.

　

Freeza nodded.

　

Nico squeezed Max's hand one more time. "We should go. The team must wonder where we are. Thank you for this, Max."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many have their been that we never knew about?


	15. What People See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Keke Rosberg, James May, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**What People See**

**GT Day +3 Months**

**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 201** 6

　

　

There had been more Broadcasts. They had been randomly timed, so there would be less chance the feeds would get interupted. The camp showed them during the downtime for each of the 3 shifts. After the first Grand Tour Broadcast, the Grand Tour crew had gone on to expose more information about the Racing Drivers, more specifics about the history, and about actual practices at the stables. It touched on the car companies, and the Racing Drivers kept to test the cars. It touched on the different classes of Racing, and how Racing Drivers were treated. It touched on what happened to Racing Drivers who lived their entire lives in stables. It touched on Racing Drivers who were unwanted and were either sent to holding facilities or put down. It told progressively more of Stig, Stiggy, American, Korean and Australian Stig. There was an entire episode dedicated to the sad, short life of the Black Stig. There was an entire episode that exposed, in no uncertain terms what had happened to Michael.

　

The day they'd shown that every showing had been stopped several times to calm down the outbursts.

　

The final episode of the series promised further information the next year. The entire series had pleaded for the world's governments to recognize Stigs as real people. Interestingly, the thing that had maybe more effect on people believing and taking action to this effect was the videos that were piggybacked on each Grand Tour Broadcast after the first.

　

When the second episode of the Grand Tour had ended, a shaky handheld camera video had begun. A young man in red shoes, shorts, tshirt stood in the Stig pose behind a man crouched with his eyes closed, identifying which fingers a young boy was holding up, using only his Racing Driver's senses. Pilot and Max Verstappen correctly determined even the tricks the boy and his friends concocted to fool them. Then the Redbull and Toro Rosso teams introduced their Racing Drivers and said exactly what they were. When that ended, the Redbull test drivers and juniors team did a similar thing. It was called Redbull Boys' Roadtrip. It was all filmed from what Nico assumed was Carlos' phone, because he was in the fewest shots, and always after the phone shook like it had been handed off. Though the Junior team was in Northern Europe and the Redbull team was in Southern Europe.

　

The realism of Racing Drivers interacting with regular people, and all the misunderstandings and explanations that happened because of it, all in public and without fancy video equipment, went a lot farther to convince the average person that this was real.

　

After living in camp for 3 months, Nico turned around in the line at the mess hall and came face to face with the Stig.

　

He noticed Nico staring at him and nodded.

　

Nico couldn't move.

　

"What is the holdup, Stig?" Said a British voice. Around the Blonde Racing Driver, THE Stig, leaned an identical blonde. "Are you alright, Rosberg?" Ben Collins asked.

　

Nico stared at him.

　

"Why've we stopped?" Asked another Britsh voice, accompanied by James May, complete with stripey jumper.

　

"What are you doing here?" Nico asked.

　

"We came to help with decamping. Everyone is going home. We brought someone you might want to see." James looked around.

　

Nico followed his gaze excitedly.

　

"He'll be around here somewhere."

　

He? Who would James have brought that Nico wanted to see that was a he? Not Jeremy, certainly?

　

James had swept him and his tray neatly out of line, the Stig and Ben had carried on, and the rest of the line had moved with them.

　

"There they are." James pointed towards the door.

　

It was Keke. Twice.

　

His burst of shock must have called Prince, because she appeared at his elbow, holding her tray of food.

　

She had kept going through the line when he had stopped to goggle at the Stig. She looked down at his tray. 'You're going to get hungry if you only have broccoli,' she sent. 'You should go back to the line. You will be hungry and you will ask for my bread again. What are you looking at?'

　

She followed his gaze. She revved in delighted surprise. She set her tray down on a table, nudging a protesting blue and white bi-tone out of the way.

　

Nico grabbed her elbow as she started across the hall.

　

[He doesn't know you're a mare.]

　

[Will he care?] Her indignation was plain.

　

[I...you go with James and the Stig...I'll go talk to him.]

　

[Go with who??]

　

[James, please take Prince to your table with you, I need to talk to my father privately.]

　

[Hello. I'm James. It is nice to meet you, Prince.]

　

Prince remembered her manners. [Hello. I am Prince. It is nice to meet you, James.]

　

Nico left them and walked, a little numbly across the mess hall.

　

He put a smile on and waved to attract Keke's attention.

　

This was going to be...so different.

　

[Hello Keke. I am surprised to see you here.] He turned to the somewhat younger Racing Driver who looked just like his father. [Hello. I am Nico. What is your name?]

　

Keke pulled him into a hug. "When they told me you and Lewis weren't at the North Pole with the rest of the Mercedes personel, I couldn't believe it. Then we got a radio message that you two were in America. I told them they needed to bring me out here."

　

The Racing Driver was watching them placidly.

　

"Please introduce me to him, papa. I've wanted to meet him my whole life." Nico looked down at his father, then at the Racing Driver he knew but had never met. He knew this Racing Driver's style almost as well as he knew any of the Drivers on the grid when he'd raced, except Prince and Snap.

　

[This is Ukkonen.] Keke gestured. [Ukkonen, I've told you about my colt, Nico.]

　

Ukkonen smiled and revved. He had a surprisingly low voice, compared to the RD's Nico knew, like a V10 bellowing. [You are not a colt anymore, Nico, you are a stallion, now. I remember you coming to visit us. You didn't know who I was, but I loved seeing Keke's colt. You have a Racing Driver to share with, now, don't you? Keke says his is very fast.]

　

Nico smiled. His father had boasted to his Racing Driver about Prince? His smile faltered a little. "I have to tell you about Prince, Papa. When you see...him, I think you'll be surprised. He doesn't look like he did on the grid when you were there with us."

　

Keke looked confused.

　

Nico reminded himself that he wasn't ashamed of Prince. Prince was the best partner he could ever have had. He loved Prince and he'd made this decision a long time ago. Nico Rosberg stood to his full height and smiled. "Prince is a mare. We've had to keep it secret, but she is a she. Now that all the Stigs are free, we don't have to hide who she is anymore."

　

Keke still looked confused. "I've seen Prince. He is a stallion. He is smaller than you, and very pretty, but he is a stallion. If he's attracted to other stallions, that happened in my day, too, it's just because the mares don't race, now that they are free, they'll get to race and that won't happen anymore."

　

Nico's eyebrows drew down and his lower lip raised. "That is not what I meant. She is female. A woman. I KNOW what to look for to make sure." He would have to talk to him later about the crack about the stallions on the grid.

　

"Since when?"

　

Nico raised his hands. "Since always. She was born a mare. She's a mare, I cannot be more clear."

　

"They MATCHED you with a mare?"

　

"Not intentionally, but yes, and it has been very successful. I couldn't ask for a better Stig than Prince."

　

"But he...she...he looks just like you."

　

Nico shrugged. "I am beautiful."

　

"Is THIS why Webber started calling you those nicknames? Is her name really Princess?"

　

"No, her name is Prince. She is just as she has always been, only now you know that she is female."

　

"They matched my SON with a female." Keke was starting to get mad about this. "How could you let this happen?"

　

There was a joyful rev.

　

Prince burst into the midst of them, stepped very close to Keke without touching him and put her head on his shoulder, just like she always had. [Keke.] She gestured. There was a huge smile on her face. When Nico had to hide his identity when they were racing, Keke had been the first one to greet her after almost every race of their young career. They'd always had a very close relationship for a Racing Driver and someone else's match.

　

She stepped back. [Keke, did you see my races this season? I won so much! You would have been very proud.] She nodded in agreement with her own statement.

　

[Hey tough guy.] Keke gestured. Just like he always had. A smile had dawned on his face. Prince had always been able to make him smile. He looked at Prince. She was letting her hair grow out. In 3 months it had begun to curl around her ears and chin, it had a great deal of natural golden wave to it. She was wearing a fitted tshirt and a bra that shaped her breasts, but didn't bind them. She had gained a bit of weight, since she wasn't required to keep to racing trim, and her curves were undeniable.

　

Prince was a mare.

　

Prince was still the Racing Driver who shared his son's soul. The Racing Driver he'd watched graduate from Formula 3 to GP2 to F1. The Racing Driver he'd congradulated as his own child after wins and consoled after losses. The one Keke had feared for every time Prince ever crashed.

　

[I am so proud of you, Prince. You were fast this year. The fastest.]

　

Nico put his arm around his other self's waist and pressed his cheek on her head and smiled. "Thanks, papa." He mouthed.

　

Prince noticed Ukkonen. [A champion!] She gestured. [I am Prince. It is nice to meet you.]

　

[It is nice to meet you. I am Ukkonen. I am Keke's Racing Driver.]

　

[Are you?! Nico has told me so much about how great you are!]

　

"Keke." Lewis and Snap walked up to the group.

　

Nico's eyes went wide.

　

Not fast enough to do anything about Prince slipping out of Nico's arm and greeting Snap with intertwined fingers and a head over heels in love expression.

　

Keke's eyes went wide as well.

　

Nico frowned at Lewis. [Timing.] He gestured.

　

[I wanted to say hi.]

　

[Right now, RIGHT now?]

　

Lewis caught sight of the expression of incredulity Keke was aiming at Snap and Prince. [We'll go.]

　

[Oh it's too late, now, you're staying here, you're not leaving me to deal with THIS by myself.]

　

"That explains why you two couldn't get along all of a sudden." Keke said.

　

Lewis and Nico both turned. "What?"

　

"It's normal for teammates not to be friends." Lewis said.

　

"We get along just fine." Nico said.

　

Keke fixed him with a look. "Like I said, RD's forming...close friendships wasn't unheard of in my day. It's always hardest on the matches. Jealous. Everyone else has a Driver for whom they are the whole world, and the guys who have to share their Driver's attention...well you can't get mad at the other Driver, can you? That doesn't do any good, but that son of a bitch match of his..." Keke shrugged. "It's always the same."

　

Nico looked at Lewis. Who else had drawn that same conclusion?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you think this will change Nico's relationship with Keke?
> 
>  
> 
> (What about Lewis' relationship with Keke?)


	16. Political

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**Political**

**2013 In Season**

　

Nico and Prince were sitting on the massage table in the Ferrari Motorhome when the door opened and Fernando and Alondra walked in. The aide who had been awkwardly standing by the door making sure Nico didn't commit any sort of racing espionage scuffled out of the door before it closed behind Fernando.

　

Alondra with his low, rolling stalk, always reminded Nico of a dangerous animal, or a street fighter who was about to throw himself feet first at an opponent's face.

　

Prince disentangled herself from Nico and stood up.

　

Which was when Alondra's dangerous demeanor vanished.

　

His eyes half lidded when Prince wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled against his beard. They stood embracing for a moment, before she drew him to the massage table. He knelt up with his knees on either side of her leg, a huge grin on his face, speaking to her in drawn out gestures. She put her hands on his waist and looked up at him with a look of intense interest.

　

Nico cleared off the massage table and stood to shake Fernando's hand.

　

"You had something to talk to me about?" Nico asked.

　

Fernando was having trouble keeping his attention off his Racing Driver in that love-struck way all matches had. It was worse for all of them right after winter break.

　

Nico would have manuevered him so he had his back to Alondra, but then Prince would have been in Nico's eyeline, and it would have been equally a problem for him.

　

"We will go somewhere quiet," His host said.

　

Alondra stopped gesturing immediately and looked over at Fernando.

　

How obvious could they be?

　

[If you hear Mancha, tell he and Felipe that I will be using their room for a few minutes.]

　

Alondra made a face.

　

[I do not care if Felipe does not like it. Tell them.]

　

Alondra shrugged and turned back to telling Prince about his favourite corner at Melbourne.

　

The two men stepped into the next room down the hallway.

　

"We are alone?" Fernando asked.

　

Nico's eyes flicked to the side. To the direction where Prince was. He closed his connection to her, then nodded. "Yes. No one will know what we are talking about."

　

"Prince and Alondra get along well," He started. He smiled and nodded, showing his approval of this circumstance. "I see on the track Prince and his teammate get along well." He smiled and nodded again. "When Alondra and Snap are teammates, they do not get along so well." He shrugged and flicked this off. "It is common. They are both very different." He nodded, encouraging Nico to tell him if this was not clear to him.

　

"I remember that they did not get along as well."

　

"Prince and Snap get along well." He nodded again, then paused. "I notice you and Lewis, you do not, so much." He shook his head.

　

Nico frowned and shook his head a little, as though he was taken aback. "We get along fine. We are very competetive, but we have known each other a long time. The team is our priority."

　

Fernando's eyebrows drew in. "Nico. I am not a reporter. Our friends are the closest to one another of almost any on the grid. You and I do not spend much time together, but they have love between them. I would not say anything against you, who Alondra loves so much."

　

Nico frowned. His forehead wrinkled. He leaned forward. "Do you want me to say I don't like Lewis? I am fine with Lewis. We are fine."

　

"Perhaps it is not Lewis. Snap is a very fast Driver, maybe your Prince has noticed this..."

　

"Fernando," Nico interupted. "Snap and Prince are teammates. I don't resent his wins. Prince certainly doesn't resent his wins."

　

"It is not what I meant, I wanted to tell you it is fine for them to be close, you and Lewis shouldn't be upset.."

　

"Just because Prince hasn't been winning as much. He's a great Driver. Sebastian is dominating the field. This year, we're going to make some real progress. Mercedes is going to be the team to beat, and we're going to be a part of that. We're the senior pair, now, and we've got some real..." Nico caught himself. "I shouldn't be talking about the team with you."

　

Fernando was looking at him with an appraising expression. "I am not trying to siphon information from you. I simply..."

　

"You know what, Snap is fast. He...I think he'll be even more competition for Sebastian next year than anyone else, except us, I'm not going to argue with that. Prince is fast, and getting faster all the time. Now that Ralf is retired, again, WE are the team to beat. People keep saying that because Lewis won a championship so soon after he came into F1 that he's more of a threat. Just because Prince hasn't got his championship yet, doesn't mean WE'RE not a threat."

　

"Prince is fast, yes..."

　

"Prince will get his championship. Sebastian isn't making any friends with the way he is pushing that Driver of his. The fans aren't happy. I have been racing against Lewis a long time, and I don't know what everyone thinks. People say a lot of things. You can't just listen to people, Fernando, and then call me in here and talk to me about it." He leaned back and shook his head.

　

The other driver opened his mouth.

　

"Everyone has an opinion. About Sebastian or about Lewis or about me. They have opinions about everyone on the grid. I can't change what they are saying."

　

[Then let the track do the talking,] Fernando gestured. Finally he'd given up trying to reassure Nico. If he knew WHY Nico and Lewis couldn't look at each other after races, neither of them would ever live it down.

　

Nico's eyes narrowed. [Yes,] he gestured back, slowly, drawing the gesture out, almost drawling it into a question. What was this new subject?

　

[Show the media and the fans that Prince is consistent and fast and strong enough to challenge all other Drivers.] His serious expression melted a little. [Except mine, of course.]

　

Nico smiled and gave a single nod. He clapped a hand on Fernando's shoulder. "You're right. We're going to let everyone see." He nodded in agreement with himself. "I'm glad you called me to talk about this. I feel a lot better. Let's go see what the guys are up to." He swept out of the room and back to where their Racing Drivers waited, leaving Fernando confused about how the conversation had gotten away from him, but hopefully unlikely to undertake a second attempt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How much do you think Fernando had realized? Or was he operating on false assumptions?


	17. The Real Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis And Nico In America  
> Alternate Universe- Tame Racing Drivers  
> Part 8- America  
> Fandom- Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour
> 
> In an AU where a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Racing Drivers share an intensely personal bond with the men who are their matches, they believe they are One Racing Driver in Two Bodies.  
> This belief leaves Nico and his Racing Driver with more questions than answers.
> 
> Tags: Formula 1, Top Gear, The Grand Tour, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Keke Rosberg, (Esteban Guttierez) AU Tame Racing Drivers, Alternate Universe, Slavery

**The Real Conversation**

**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 2016**

　

Ukkonen was very understanding about Prince being a mare. Keke was not going to take it out on Prince, but calling Nico's manhood into question was now the order of the day.

　

Nico was laying on his back staring at the ceiling of the warehouse. Prince was sitting between his legs, with one of his thighs on her lap and Alisar sitting close against her on the other side, with Nico's lower leg on his lap. They were using Nico's leg as a table to put together a tangram puzzle. He was feeling very relaxed, a little bored, a little satisfied.

　

Lewis and Snap were sitting on Lewis' cot, listening to music on Lewis' phone. Lewis was bobbing his head to the music, and Snap was sitting perfectly still, taking in every beat and melody.

　

Romain and Goose were helping out the on-call team with some minor thing that required attention and Esteban had left Alisar with them to go do something to do with the civilian refugees.

　

He felt Prince petting his leg idly, he watched her face. She was so beautiful. He loved her so much. Look at her there, working hard to keep her little herd happy. He reached out and took her hand in his. She looked at him and smiled. He loved her so much.

　

Someone moved up beside the head of his cot.

　

She looked up and nodded hello.

　

"Shouldn't that be you she's pressed up against?" Keke said.

　

Nico rolled his head back to look at Keke.

　

"I don't know what you mean."

　

"She's all cuddled up with this other Driver, every time I see you two she's with some stallion."

　

Nico frowned, was he suggesting there was something inappropriate going on?

　

Alisar started moving away from Prince.

　

Nico hooked a foot around the Stig's waist and shook his head no at him. [You're fine, Alisar.]

　

He laid back on his pillow. "When a Racing Driver has seniority in the stable, it is their responsibility to take care of their herd. Since Goose and Alisar are the only F1 Racing Drivers here, they are Prince's herd. It's her job to make sure they're happy and feel safe. Sometimes that means personal attention. I know this information may have been glossed over in your rundown of being no one in particular at Williams. It has always been made abudantly clear to ME, as senior match of Mercedes, that my Racing Driver will have a duty first the team and only THEN to me."

　

"Since you don't have to worry about any of the stallion duties, with a three time champion in the stable, that works out well."

　

Everyone looked at Snap.

　

He leaned back on the cot and shook his head, raised his hands in a denial of responsibility.

　

Nico wasn't looking at anyone, he was still relaxed into the pillow, looking at the ceiling.

　

Lewis was watching Prince.

　

Prince frowned. She patted Alisar aside and climbed out from under Nico's leg. He folded his hands on his chest and kept his leg crooked out of her way. She walked delicately to Ukkonen, stood face to face, and growled. Her gestures were small and casual, as if it barely mattered if he understood them. [Slow him down, before I show five wins for every one of yours. Without a championship, I am faster than any single world champion.]

　

She threw her arms wide in challenge. As if Ukkonen stood a chance against her.

　

Keke frowned as Ukkonen looked down and took a step back.

　

Nico rolled to his feet. He gently moved Prince to one side, then stepped close to her, nuzzling against her cheek, one hand carding through her hair, pulling it back off her face, as Prince mirrored his motion and for a moment, with their hair pulled back, they were identical. He held her for a moment, a half smile on his face, mirrored on hers.

　

He released his hold on her.

　

She went and sat next to Alisar, picking up his hand and patting it.

　

Nico turned to his father.

　

"Snap has more wins." He nodded. "Before he is done, Snap will be the best Racing Driver after Shoe. Better? It remains to be seen. Before her first championship, Prince had won more races than most single AND double world champs, she is one of the BEST Racing Drivers who has ever lived. It is an honor to be a part of that. You want to suggest I am not man enough for her." He nodded. "Her record suggests that being a man is no indication of worth. I am going to take the advice given to me a long time ago. I am going to let the track answer for me."

　

As his father wound up, probably to point out that those were Prince's wins and not his, Nico smiled.

　

"The point, though, is not whether we win, or if she is a great driver, it is this; we are one Racing Driver in two bodies."

　

Keke scoffed. "It's not like yours is the other half of your soul. Not like the rest of us."

　

  
Nico smiled. "If you can think that, then you don't understand your bond at all."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Nico's bond like everyone else's?


	18. Why We Are

**Why We Are**  
**GT Day +3 Months**  
**Central Nascar Holding Camp (Code Name:Utah Flats)- 2017**

  
They were going home from the refugee camps, but home was a relative term. Not everyone has life situations that would allow for disappearing without rent payments for 4 months. And the unmatched Drivers had nowhere to go.

The Grand Tour had thought of that. Under the Top Gear brand, they had investigated empty housing tracts in Spain. Entire empty communities. The vast majority of Stigs would go there, and to places like them in economically troubled places. Then the real work would start.

[Onto the buses, everyone, stay in line,] Prince waved her hands. Nico was about 20 meters to the side, directing another group of Stigs onto another bus. They were sharing a close connection, so they could sense any difficulty the other was having and help out immediately.

Nico's line wasn't moving as smoothly as Prince's. [Choose a seat quickly and then don't switch, please,] He directed through the window of the bus. [There will be a chance to switch seats when we stop for a break.]

Their bond had gotten so much stronger in the months at the refugee camp. He could feel her amusement. He knew she wasn't even looking up, was just aware of what he was aware of. He looked at her, though. Her blonde hair was long enough to wear in a short ponytail, now, but strands of it had come loose, draped around her face. She glanced up at Stig, way down at the end of the line of nearly 100 buses, with James May, his match.

Nico couldn't see his gestures, but Prince was listening to something he was telling her. He was just about at the edge of his limited sending range. [Stig says he and his matches are going to finish their group and when this group has left we'll be done for today.]

He smiled. Neither James May not Ben Collins knew Stig was referred to as having two matches. He was bonded to James, like Nico was to Prince, but all Racing Drivers were born matching some human, half of one Racing Driver, each, and the human half of Stig was Ben. They just weren't bonded telepathically.

[We'll go have dinner,] He told her. [Then we can go to the computer room and see if you can video chat with Snap and Lewis.]

She nodded. [Alright, everyone,] She told her lines of Stigs. [Be smooth and fast, I may not speak with my mate until you are all set off.]

There was some laughter from the lines.

When the last of the buses left, Prince took Nico's hand in hers and they walked back to the mess hall. She was about 2 inches shorter than him, and no longer proportioned the same since she's abandoned the workout designed to keep them looking the same shape. Her hips were curving and the thickness of muscle she'd had to maintain was melting away. She was still incredibly fit and strong. She could still exercise circles around him, and always would be able to, from what he'd seen of his father and his Racing Driver. He had let a lot of his muscle go, too. No call to keep in condition like an Olympic athlete when there was no sport to compete in.

Now they didn't look identical anymore. They looked more like brother and sister.

Before they reached the mess hall, she craned around. [We won't have to videochat! I can feel Snap!] She pointed out towards the road, invisible in the dark, that led into the camp. She squeezed Nico's hand.

[How long?] He asked.

She sent a sense of about 5 minutes.

Racing Driver range of sending was tied to their number of wins, their strength. Stig, although an incredible track expert, had never won a pinnacle class race, and had a range of about 1000 feet when he was straining. Prince was a World Champion in a pinnacle class, she could reach a mile or so.

Snap had the second most wins of any Racing Driver to ever race F1. 5 minutes until he arrived meant he was 4 or 5 miles outside the camp. The edge of his range meeting the edge of hers. She could only sense him, not speak, yet, like seeing a familiar person over a great distance.

[We can wait to eat,] He said, but they were already turning away from the mess hall, headed across the compound to the gate by the road.

[He says he has to go to the paperwork building. We should wait for him, there.] She was dragging him, now. He trotted to keep up. Snap had been gone for weeks. Sent on some task by the Grand Tour Crew that required a strong Racing Driver to accomplish.

They went inside the office and Tiff Needell and Esteban Gutierrez waved at them. The younger man seemed to have really taken to the presenter of the 80's and 90's version of Top Gear. They were almost never out of each other's sight, and hadn't been, most of the winter. And their Racing drivers, Spearhead and Alisar, seemed to have formed a clique with Ken Block's rally Driver Cage, and weirdly, with Ricky Carmichael's Racing Rider, Ratchet.

Tiff Needell ran the radio and computer room at the camp. He was teaching Esteban from years of broadcasting experience.

"Hey Nico, how is Keke?" Esteban asked. He pushed the over ear radio headset partly off one ear.

"He is good. He and Ukkonen are going on shift in a bit."

"Lewis will be in in a minute, go ahead and sit down." Esteban pointed at the plastic chairs at one side of the room.

He put his headset back on, carefully watching something Tiff was doing on one of the computers.

Prince was watching the door. She squeezed Nico's hand.

The door opened, and Lewis walked in. He waved his hands in the stop gesture, immediately, and closed the door behind him. Prince paused, halfway to her feet. [We brought some guests back. They're shy. They will get startled if you rush to greet them,] He told her. [Just sit there and when they come in, let them come to you.]

He cast a significant look at Nico, but Nico couldn't tell what he was trying to convey. He hadn't brought Wild Stigs from Antarctica, had he? James had said some had come back with the Grand Tour Crew.

Prince eased back into her chair, looking confused.

Lewis opened the door.

"Oh Prince," Nico said.

Snap was standing there with 5 little Stigs. Two 8 year old colts, a 5 year old Colt and Filly and a 2 year old filly. Nico didn't have to guess their ages. He put his forehead on Prince's shoulder.

There were tears in her eyes. She put her hands over her mouth.

[Go say hello,] Snap told the Little Racing Drivers.

One of the older colts, the one who was not holding the toddler, stepped forward. He shook Prince's hand. Just like he had learned to in the animated TV show the foals had starred in during the winter- Stig Storytime.

[I am Nico. I enjoy meeting you, Prince,] He smiled, nervously.

The human Nico smiled and squeezed Prince's arm.

[I enjoy meeting you, Nico,] She told him, matching his level of formality.

The other older Colt stepped forward.

[I am Brno, this is Mikael. We enjoy meeting you, Prince, Snap has told us a lot about you,] He held the toddler's hand out to her as well and she's hook both, greeting them as well. The littlest filly popped her fingers back in her mouth and stared at Prince.

[Snap talks about you all the time.]. The 5 year old filly came up. [You are just like he said. You are so strong. Almost as strong as Madeleine and Lentaa. Will you teach me how to drive as fast as you do?]

Prince nodded. [You must be Louisa. Yes, I will teach you to drive. Snap says you are already very fast. Maybe you can teach me things.]

Louisa's eyes went wide. She giggled and nodded.

The other 5 year old Colt was hiding behind Snap's legs, hands behind his back.

[Hello, Little Racing Driver.] Prince waggled her fingers at him.

He ducked farther back.

[Be nice, Benz,] Brno chided.

[I know who you are,] gestured a little pair of hands from behind Snap's legs.

Prince leaned forward. Little Nico had insinuated himself under her arm. [You are a very clever Colt, aren't you?]

[Yes.]

[I know a show with a clever Colt like you,] She said.

He peeked out. [You watch Stig Storytime?]

[I do. I have seen every one many many times.] She looked up at Snap, who smiled at her.

[That's me on that show. And my brothers and sisters.]

Prince nodded. [I know your friends from that show. I used to race in F1 with Checo and Hulk. Did you know I was friends with them?]

[Yes. They talked about you a lot. They said you are so fast they could never catch you.]

[They were very fun to race with,] She told him, diplomatically.

Louisa was staring up at human Nico, now. Studying him carefully. He smiled at her. [You are a man,] She told him, severely.

He nodded.

[Why are you matched to a mare?] She asked suspiciously.

[Because we are one Racing Driver in two bodies. Just one is a mare and one is a man,] He told her.

Her eyes narrowed.

[Your name is Benz?] Prince asked the shy Colt.

[Yes. I'm named after the greatest racing company of all! I am going to lead the Mercedes stable when I grow up.] He frowned. [I would have, but now there are no stables anymore.]

[You have to be strong to lead a stable, fast and a lot of wins,] Prince told him, eyes not raising to Mercedes's premiere Racing Stallion, who was blocking her view of the Colt.

[Madeleine and Lentaa said my dam and sire are the best Mercedes Racing Drivers ever born,] Benz informed her.

Nico and Lewis turned their faces away to hide their smiles.

[Snap is the lead stallion at Mercedes. He is a multiple world champion!] He looked up at the stallion, who nodded at him.

[That's true,] Snap said.

[You are the world champion, now. The F1 world champion,] Benz said to Prince. He crept out from behind Snap's legs. [I enjoy meeting you, Prince.] He held his hand out.

She shook it. [I enjoy meeting you, too, Benz.]

He didn't let go of her hand. [I missed you,] He touched his heart, [Here.] He leaned in close and put his ear on her chest. [I can hear thumping.]. He leaned back and nodded.

[I missed you, too, Benz,] She told him.

[Mama hug!] The toddler demanded, suddenly, pulling her fingers out of her mouth and bailing forward, nearly out of Brno's arms. [Mama hug!]

The entire group seemed to move at this. Her babies crowded in around her with open arms.

Nico moved back so Prince could greet her long lost children properly. Lewis was blinking fiercely and holding his arm around Snap. Nico hugged him. "You guys have always gone above and beyond for them."

Lewis hugged him back. They weren't always on good terms, but they loved each other's Racing Driver almost like they loved their own. "Of course, man, of course."

Snap knelt and embraced his family as well, nuzzling his mate's nose.

[You brought our babies,] She told him. [You were gone all that time to get babies?]

He nodded. [I had to wait until they were done filming Stig Storytime. Then I could bring them to you. The stables are gone, we can have our families with us.]

Prince looked up at Nico. [Can we find my brother? They took him away from Mercedes when I matched with you. I don’t know where he went. James might know.]

He felt Lewis stiffen beside him. [Your brother?] Nico asked.

[My twin. His name is King Of The Track. He wasn’t fast enough to get to F1, so we switched places,] She stroked little Nico’s hair, [Besides, you are MY match, not his.]

He couldn’t turn and see the look on Lewis’ face. He already knew what it would be. If they’d been playing the game right now, Prince would have gotten at LEAST a hundred points from the jaws dropped expressions on their faces.

She looked up at them. [What?]

Sometimes what Racing Drivers thought was unimportant stunned Nico.

[We will do our very best to find your brother,] Lewis told her. He looked at Snap and nodded. His hand on Nico’s shoulder squeezed, hard.

He shook himself. [Yes, of course. We’ll look for anyone you want to find,] He agreed.

He felt cold. Prince wasn’t his Racing Driver? Wasn’t his other half?

She stood up, shedding the pile of Little Racing Drivers. She put her hands on either side of his face. ‘No, Nico,’ She sent, deep into his heart, ‘I AM your Racing Driver. You and I are one self. We always have been. They’d have given you to him, and you two never would have been right. Like if Ben matched with another Racing Driver than Stig. He would always still be half of Stig. You are half of me, and I am half of you. We were born as one self, in two bodies.’

‘What about your twin?’ They would go get him, regardless of who he was. He was a missing part of their family and he belonged with them. No matter what.

‘He has his own human, somewhere else, or not. I am yours. You are mine.’ She stopped. ‘You never doubted that before.’

He never had.

And then, he realized, he didn’t really doubt it, now. It had just come as a surprise and he had wanted to explore all possibilities, to prove to himself what was real.

Prince was real. Prince was his Racing Driver.

A single self in seamless harmony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading Lewis and Nico in America.
> 
> I love talking about this series, comments or questions are GREATLY appreciated.
> 
> It's easier to write more when readers show interest. It makes me excited to write more for you guys.
> 
> The story "Snap" is directly related to this story.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/11920263
> 
> If you enjoyed this story, you may enjoy the rest of the Tame Racing Driver series.
> 
> If you'd like to find out what the Grand Tour is up to, putting all the Racing Drivers in refugee camps, please see "Tame Racing Driver" The opening story of this AU.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/7615867
> 
> If you'd like to see more of Freeza and Max Chilton's story, please see "Team" Which is the story of the 2013 F1 rookies, including Valtteri Bottas and Jules Bianchi.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/10920081
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> If this made you feel anything, please leave a comment.
> 
> Real People don't belong to me.
> 
> This story is fiction and is no reflection on anyone in it. The story does belong to me, as does the AU in which it is set.


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